Paper Flowers II: Clash of Fates
by Voice-sama
Summary: [AU,-some s-a(BR,YY,SS,MA]It's been three years since Ryou got a new job..and a new life. He gets more than expected though...so much more. Epilogue: Birth, Wedding, Bakura as babysitter? (COMPLETE)
1. Default Chapter

Heyas guys! I'm back! (Everyone: NOOOOOoooo. . . ) Hehe n_n I already have a plot. Yay! It will be as much fun and drama and fluff and. . . oh well, you'll see. I better get started.  
  
Mariku: You'd better, that's right.  
  
Voice: Right, that's our special guest today: It's Mariku!  
  
Mariku: o.O  
  
Voice: *grins* I've got plans with you. . . *hugs Malik meanwhile*  
  
Malik: x_x  
  
Ryou: So cute together. ^^  
  
Bakura: Not as cute as you are. *hugs Ryou*  
  
Voice: Group hug!!  
  
Everyone: . . .  
  
Voice: -.-  
  
*~*  
  
Ryou's POV  
  
Hi everyone! My name's Bakura Ryou, but I guess most of you know that already; I told you about my life already, did I. Two years ago. . . it's the year 2089 now. About my life how it got after I joined this one organisation. About my new life, my new job, my new friends, and my new love. . .  
  
"Bakura!!!"  
  
Right, that's the one! Funny that he looks so much like me; I sometimes think it's some kind of self-love. Bakura. My mentor, my trainer, and my lover. The one yelling was his older step-sister Isis, by the way, she's twenty-three. Bakura must've done something particularly bad, because she doesn't often raise her voice. She's always so calm.  
  
Crash.  
  
"OW!"  
  
Oh dear. . . someone has knocked over Malik. Malik's Isis' younger brother, he's eighteen and one year older than me. They had another brother, Mariku, he would be twenty by now like Bakura is since it was their birthday last month, but. . . he died two years ago. It was very tragic, he had been granted a body in the end to say good-bye to the ones he loved. They're all from Egypt. Isis brought them up since she was twelve or something, because their families, one of the last humans in Egypt, died. Maybe that's why she never freaks out.  
  
"What the hell is going on here?!"  
  
Oh, a fourth voice, yelling over Isis' grumbling, Malik's whining and Bakura's sniggering. Kaiba Seto's, our boss. I stroll out of my room on the corridor where everyone is, and see one of Seto's most expensive vases on the floor, shattered, Malik sitting dazed within the shards. Isis holds Bakura by one ear; he's smirking at me and throws me a wink. I'm always blushing when he does that. He was grumble and quiet guy when I first met him, but on my second day he already protected me, that's why he has a scar in his left shoulder. Isis tightens her grip on my love's ear, and I smile sympathetically at him when his smile turns into a pained expression before I help Malik up.  
  
"Oh, hey Ryou-chan!"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Your boyfriend knocked me over.", he pouts, and I can't help but smile. It always sounds so nice when someone calls Bakura 'my boyfriend'. It's sounding nice the other way around, too.  
  
"Then I must apologize for him, since he has his mouth occupied at the moment.", I say, smirking at Bakura who's biting his lower lip in pain, glaring up at his older sister. Seto's gaze settles on the white-haired Egyptian.  
  
"You'll work without payment then since you paid my vase.", Seto says, still dazed as it seems. Seto's twenty-one by now. And he's much more powerful then he was when I first met him; his company, at least his legal one, is increased over the whole world.  
  
"I already do that, Kaiba.", Bakura grumbles, trying to pry Isis' hand off, "Or do you want me to live on the street until I paid my dues?"  
  
"Maybe I will do that", Seto glares. Suddenly, two slim arms snake around his waist from behind, and the smiling face of a pretty, reddish brown- haired girl peers around him.  
  
"Heyas, Seto-chan!"  
  
That's Jounouchi Shizuka, nineteen, Seto's fiancée. Seto only groans at his cheery girlfriend.  
  
"Yeah I love you too", she beams, then turns to me. "Ryou-chan, you're coming? You promised to go shopping with us today, remember?"  
  
Now it's Bakura's turn to grin at me. He adjusted to everyone calling me 'Ryou-chan', that's just because I'm the youngest. It's kinda nice though, everyone's protecting you and hugging you and cuddling with you. . . oh crap, I sound like a kitten. Anyways. Shopping with the girls. I follow Shizuka downstairs and am pulled into a tight hug by two pairs of arms. One belongs to Kujaku Mai, Shizuka's brother's girlfriend around twenty with long blonde locks and amethyst eyes. She's quite a beauty. I'm surprised to see her, because she belongs to our 'Ex-enemies' as Seto calls it; he refuses to call them 'friends' either.  
  
The other pair belongs to one of my best friends, Mazaki Anzu. I think she's pretty though she doesn't have that causal, elegant beauty that Mai beholds. She's got brown hair which is trimmed on shoulder-length now for it was very long before, and bright blue eyes. She's related to Seto somehow, too, but I forgot how. They're more friends than relatives. It was Seto, too, who helped her over the crisis she had when her cousin was murdered in front of her eyes, along with Bakura, because hr cousin was his girlfriend once. He did love her very much, I think, but I just once saw a picture of her. Her name was Kristin, she had the same blue eyes Anzu had, but her hair was blue-ish. Yami killed her when she was about to leave him, after she had left Bakura for Yami or something like that; anyways, Anzu had spent some time in a mental institution after that incident, and after the one two years ago, she had been locked up for five months.  
  
I visited her a few times along with Bakura, but she didn't recognize me. She only held on to my boyfriend all the time, crying without a sound and smiling sadly, a complete inner wreck. Anzu once told me, after she had returned to us:  
  
"When I was younger, I was afraid of some girl around he same age as me, faceless, but grinning insanely and dripping with blood, a knife in her right hand. Now I am this girl, about to murder my sanity."  
  
I was shocked about that, because she told me willingly about her thoughts and fears though I was young and easily scared.  
  
Now, I'm released finally, I can breathe again and smile at Mai politely as she's grinning and messing with my hair.  
  
"Hey there Ryou-chan. How are you?"  
  
"Quite well, Mai-san. How about you?"  
  
She just smiles at me. With Mai's hover-car, we're approaching the mall, and. . .  
  
No! NOO!! Not in there! The girls walk towards a store. An underwear store. Girl's underwear. I'm not going in there!!  
  
"Aw c'mon Ryou-chan", Shizuka grins.  
  
"Yeah, it won't taint your virginal eyes just by looking at some lingerie.", Mai grins, too.  
  
Feh, so I am virginal. What do they know anyways? I know Bakura can wait, for he does already, and I'm not ready quite ye-  
  
"You're not arguing with yourself again, Ryou. Do you.", Anzu asks.  
  
"Erm. . . no?"  
  
I sit down on a bench outside the store, waiting for them. Not about ten or twenty zombies could get me in there! Nervously I feel my fingers fondle with the weapon hanging on my belt, covered with my jacket. I'm never going out without it since someone tried to kill me. Bakura protected me that time; and a few other times as well. I just want to be independent sometimes. I didn't learn to use that thing for nothing, you know.  
  
But I don't need it, really, for the girl's I'm with at the moment are trained assassins since at least four or five years. Though I'm feeling like we've been watched all the time. . . but then again, the girls really ARE pretty, so all the guys are staring at them.  
  
And at me, for once because most of them think I'm pretty myself (perverts, I tell you!), or they think I'm to be envied because Anzu and Mai have their arms locked with mine. Yes, they're actually back. With bags of lingerie. I don't even want to know what kinds of those things they've bought for me. They always make those jokes, they're not even funny! And it's always me who ends up in girl's underwear on parties!  
  
But I can't lose this feeling of paranoia, though I don't want to interrupt Anzu's rare happiness. Yes she's actually happy. Why should she not, you ask? Well, for one reason, she once was disappointed by Yami who had been her boyfriend then killed her dearest cousin. And, second reason, because she had been madly in love with Mariku, who had been in love with her too. He had told that he loved her, but he never got her reply, because she responded when he was gone already, after their first and only kiss.  
  
Aw, stores and stores and more stores. . . I'm going insane!!  
  
*~*  
  
Hmm, quite funny, a bit of a summary from Paper Flowers. Anyways. The second chapter will be fun, too. See ya soon ^___^ Oh, and tell me if it's worth to continue, okay? 


	2. Fun at the mall

Wow.  
  
Malik: Is that all you gonna say?  
  
Voice: -nods-  
  
Shizuka: But V-chan, you must've got something to say. . .  
  
Voice: -shakes head-  
  
Seto: Anything? That's weird.  
  
Bakura: Yeah, what's going on with your girlfriend?  
  
Malik: How the hell should I know?!  
  
Voice: -smiles-  
  
Ryou: Uh, I know what that smile does mean. –nods wisely-  
  
Everyone: What?  
  
Ryou: Her throat hurts.  
  
Voice: -nods happily-  
  
Ryou: And that means someone must thank the reviewers.  
  
Everyone: 0.0  
  
Ryou: -suddenly alone- Oh well. . . first, we've got  
  
Anime Crazed: Hey, the lingerie was evil! I swear it!  
  
Fluffylittledragon: V-chan is glad you like it ^_^ And. . . I sound like Bakura? Hm maybe he's rubbing off of me. . .  
  
Pocketfirefairy: -blinks- Uh. . . yeah. They're going to get married really soon. Though Seto's afraid of it somehow. . .  
  
Seto: -whacks Ryou over the head-  
  
Bakura: Hey, don't do that to my boyfriend!!  
  
Seto: Feh, make me.  
  
Ryou: -watches them fight. 0.0 ow. . .  
  
Also, V-chan want to thank all the reviewers from Paper Flowers because they were really loyal and helped her over four writer's blocks!  
  
Voice: -waves- ^_____^  
  
Ryou: . . . right. And we don't want to forget the Cleaning Lady Arisa's shrine! –puts flowers onto it-  
  
Voice: -pokes Ryou-  
  
Ryou: Eh? No, we won't offer anything in your temple, V-chan, even if it was built from Heather-Hezzer-and-Honaluki. No. I said NO! Keep it down now! Sheesh!  
  
*~*  
  
Normal POV  
  
Ryou's adventure at the mall wasn't quite what he expected. He had to visit several stores he usually wouldn't even look at by passing, was forced into a lot of tops, pants and even skirts causing Shizuka and Mai to giggle hysterically and taking photos. Anzu just smiled amused, patting his shoulder every now and then and promise him that everything would be okay. After the fourth time, Ryou lost it.  
  
"Oh no, nothing will be okay! Shi-chan has taken photos of me in a bra! Mai- san nearly had an asthma attack from laughing! Don't you tell me it's okay!!", Ryou shouted, then panted heavily. He never lost his temper that bad. The brown-haired girl laughed and put an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, Ryou. No one will ever see those photos. Promise. That's the last store, and then we going ho-"  
  
CRASH  
  
"What was that?!", Ryou squeaked, holding on to Anzu's arm tightly. The girl felt her fingers turn numb.  
  
"Uhm. . . a really loud crash?", Shizuka suggested, and Mai rolled her eyes. "Keep it down with the smart-mouthing, kid, that was the sound of an explosion."  
  
"I knew that!"  
  
"Yeah right." Mai's amethyst eyes flickered back and forth the mall, where people were screaming and yelling and holding on to benches and walls. From the middle, where a fountain had been, black fog erupted.  
  
"It came from there."  
  
"No shit Sherlock. . . "  
  
"Stop the sarcasm already, Mai!", Anzu growled while she tried prying Ryou's death grip from her upper arm. "Ryou, stop that, you're bruising me!"  
  
"Oh, sorry. . . "Now Mai took control. "Shizuka, you and me go and calm the people. Anzu, you take Ryou with you and see what caused the explosion. Now let's go." And the two girls took off, leaving Anzu and Ryou behind. They blinked. "Wow." Then they went through the smoke, and the girl told Ryou he should take out his weapon. Ryou did what he was told and fumbled his weapon from his belt; a small, but effective blaster. Anzu herself had her two favourite ones in both hands, handy crossbow-like things. One shot air blasts, the other one electricity. "Be careful where you step on", she whispered. Mai's powerful voice was heard curbed, as she raised it to tell all the people it was okay. Anzu growled. "Nothing's okay, she's lying so well. . . "  
  
Ryou couldn't help but smile a bit. Though he was afraid, he felt safer around the girl. She was much better in using a weapon and shot with her left hand as well as with her right one. Ryou himself had to use both his hands to even aim properly. He also noticed that the older girl moved in a feline grace and barely made a sound while his sneakers shuffled every time he stumbled over a shatter. And then it hit him; she moved like Bakura did. Ryou thought it was ridiculous to think of the similarities of his boyfriend and his lady friend in such a situation, but it helped him to calm down.  
  
"Anzu-chan?", he whispered. She nodded once. Ryou hesitated; he didn't know how to ask the question burning in his mind. The girl glanced at him shortly and smiled. "Yeah. Bakura was my trainer, too."  
  
"How did you know I was about to ask that?"  
  
"Female intuition." The younger boy started thinking while his lungs were burning with the smoke he inhaled with every breath. When she had been Bakura's pupil, like he was, did she have a closer relation to him like he had now. . . ? His thoughts were interrupted when some quiet peeping sounds were heard. Anzu handed her left hand weapon to Ryou and lifted the arm. A small monitor erupted from her wristwatch.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Though Ryou couldn't see the monitor (he was occupied by admiring Anzu's blaster), he could hear Shizuka's voice.  
  
"I informed Headquarters, there's a strange energy radiating from where you are!"  
  
"What did Seto say?"  
  
"He sends Bakura and Malik. They'll be here in no time. Try to get out of there!"  
  
Now Ryou looked up; the cheery girl's voice was serious and slightly out of breath. But Shizuka was, like the entire group, in a pretty good shape. The last time she had gotten out of breath was when she and Anzu tried to get past Jou and Mai in Yami's mansion. The white-haired teen started to worry, because even their conversation was held in short, military-like sentences. That were the terms they used on a mission. They weren't supposed to use them on a shopping tour!  
  
"What's going on?", he whispered frantically. Anzu glanced at him, then back to the monitor. Shizuka still was speaking.  
  
"Yami will be here soon, too. Mai wanted to inform him as well."  
  
"What's going on anyways? Why are you out of breath?"  
  
A short scream from the background was heard, and Shizuka flinched.  
  
"Zombies! Didn't I tell you? They're everywhere! Mai and I keep blasting their heads off, but they just get up again! It's like they got some new powers!"  
  
Ryou grimaced. He remembered the zombies that guarded Yami's mansion clearly. Dead people, brought back from the graves. And it usually helped to blast their heads off.  
  
"There are some strange things flying around as well. It's like a video game! You got to get out of there quickly! I don't wanna know who sent them, but they got here from where you are now!"  
  
Shizuka's voice got frantic. Anzu nodded shortly, but Ryou knew she wasn't going to let Yami do the job. They loathed each other, and she hated him even more than Bakura ever could. "We'll get out. See ya." With that, she flicked the monitor off and turned to Ryou. The boy smiled softly.  
  
"You're not going anywhere, are you." Anzu grinned: "Nope, I won't. You coming?" "Sure."  
  
Crash. Bang. –Shuffle-. And the sound of leathery wings flapping.  
  
". . . uh-oh."  
  
Both teens knew they already were surrounded, but none of them knew from who or what. . .  
  
*~*  
  
Uhh, cliffie! Yay! R&R, please ^__^ This is getting funny! 


	3. Rescue? Barely

Heyas guys. While I'm waiting for Sugar-Kat (hi there!) to come online, I thought I could continue a bit.  
  
Malik: What are you and Sugar up to again?  
  
Voice: Erm. . . that's none of your business.  
  
Malik: The whole rp-ing stuff is really boring you know.  
  
Voice: Silence! Or I shall lock you up in my temple again (thanks to Heather I have one ^___^)  
  
Malik: . . .  
  
Voice: Works for me. Anyways, could ya thank the reviewers?  
  
Malik: Why? Your throat is perfectly okay again!  
  
Voice: Pweaaase?  
  
Malik: Okay okay I'll do it! Sheesh, she's champion of the hikari puppy eyes. Not even hikaris can resist. -.- First, to  
  
Magicianofblackchaos23: She said she would read your fanfics. –nods- And she's happy that the Force is with her now. . . whatever that means.  
  
To Aman-chan: -purrs- Yessss, loathing Yami. . . damn pharaoh. . . anyways. Can I have a kitten? Please? PLEASE?!  
  
Voice: Why do you want one?  
  
Malik: Because Aman has one!!!  
  
To Snow-shadow-wolf: Thank you. Yes, her throat is better. Unfortunately.  
  
Shizuka: You're so mean to V-chan again. . .  
  
Malik: Ain't I always? Anyways.  
  
To Kaz: Oh well. . . right.  
  
To Lee-chan: Yeah, she made one, but I can't say I'm happy about it.  
  
To Sugar-Kat: Uh, they do? Yay! –grabs all the pocky and hides it-  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: That's why they call her Cliffie-Queen, isn't it.  
  
To Fluffylittledragon: Uh, yes, zombies –shivers- I don't like them myself, they're creepy. And no, 'Kura-chan wouldn't mind too much –grins evilly-  
  
Bakura: Hey!!. . .  
  
Ryou: o.O  
  
*~*  
  
Ryou's POV  
  
Did I tell you it can be creepier? It can. Now it is. Anzu and I are surrounded by some unknown creatures, some of them maybe even more dangerous than immortal zombies. Maybe even as immortal as they are. I press the weapon's handle tightly and try to get rid of the nervousness. Anzu seems to be so calm; like nothing would happen at all. Hello-oh, we're surrounded, honey!! Do you realize it? Darn! Girls these days! . . . I'm sounding like Bakura again. Speaking of Bakura, I could easily call for him and he'll be here in an instant to rescue me. . . us. But since I don't have a communicator and Shizuka had already informed them, that would be no use. Great.  
  
Creepy shuffling in the shadows the smoke is creating; sounds like zombies indeed. I wonder if Mai-san and Shi-chan were able to get the people out of the mall. W-Wait, did that thing just move. . . ?  
  
"Anzu?"  
  
"Shh, they'll hear you. . . "  
  
"They already know we're here, they wouldn't have surrounded us if they didn't!"  
  
"Quiet, I'm trying to think."  
  
Okay, then I'll be quiet. . . wait. . . eep! These things are leaping at us from the shadows, missing us just for inches. I feel cold claws at my cheek and blood trickle down my chin. . . it had hit me! Darn! Another thing comes my way, and I close my eyes because it`s too big to dash away. . . a breeze hits me softly, and when I open my eyes after a loud 'bang', the thing lies there, and Bakura stands in front of me panting slightly, aiming his favourite weapon on it. I look around. . . Malik's there, too, shielding Anzu who's cowering behind him and touches her ankle.  
  
"You okay?", Bakura says when he turns to me. I can only nod. My saviour! I sigh when he wraps his arms around me. Malik gasps.  
  
"T-That thing. . . "  
  
"What's with that thing?"  
  
"It looks just like the one that killed Mariku", he says softly as if in deep thoughts. I can see the horror in his eyes. Anzu gives a strangled sob and the blonde Egyptian scoops her up in his arms. "I think it's broken", she whispers. Fortunately she didn't seem to hear what Malik had said. Or did she? Anyways, Bakura scoops me up too. I look at him inquiringly.  
  
"There are too many of them. We have to get out of here and kill them from the outside." I nod, and the oh-so-cool inventions from Seto, his demon wings, unfold themselves from Bakura's shoulders and we take off. Malik and Anzu follow us. I can see the smoke and only the smoke from up here, but a few shadowy creatures are lurking around in there. We land outside the mall, and Bakura lets me down. . . darn. Anzu's still in Malik's arms for her ankle is twisted in a unhealthy way and holds to his neck, glaring at someone standing behind us; I turn around and see Mai talking to Yami. Yuugi stands next to them and waves at me happily. I wave back; I don't hold a grudge against him. Actually, I like him. Kind of. Bakura quickly takes my hand in his own. I frown up at him, but he's glaring, too, and Yami doesn't even notice it. He lets Mai explain what happened and frowns, looking dead serious. Then, finally, he turns to Bakura.  
  
"Hey there 'Kura."  
  
My love only growls and shoves me behind his back. I think Bakura hasn't forgave Yami yet that he wanted to have me.  
  
"Calm down albino. I'm trying to talk to you like adults."  
  
"Then maybe you should start acting like one. Why are you here anyway?"  
  
"Because Mai called me, dumbass. The case is serious, I don't have time to waste it for you and your growling."  
  
Both of them sound angry, and while they 'talk', I let go of Bakura's hand and sneak over to Yuugi. He gives me a cheery smile.  
  
"Hey there. How are you?", he asks me. He's so nice. How come he's with Yami? I just don't get it.  
  
"Fine, how are you?" He nods in response. We both look at our bickering boyfriends and sigh in unison; they're impossible!  
  
"I'm sorry for what Yami did in the past."  
  
"Gods Yuugi, you don't have to be. It's not your fault."  
  
"But he doesn't feel guilty; it's the last thing I can do." He bows. I pat him on the back.  
  
"Stop that crap. Yami hasn't ever done something to harm me." Wait, that's not true. . . he wanted to make me his and he wanted to kill Anzu and Bakura who are my friends. . . err. . . anyways. The way he looks at me sceptically tells me he knows I'm talking crap.  
  
"What's wrong with Anzu?"  
  
"She twisted her ankle."  
  
Yuugi grimaces. "Oh dear. . . I better tell her to get well soon." Says, and leaves. I watch him, and though Malik's glaring at him, and I can clearly read his mind, Anzu smiles softly and talks to him. Shizuka once told me that Anzu and Yuugi had been friends since childhood. Seems like that didn't change.  
  
"Ryou." I jump and spin around. . . two cool aquamarine eyes look at me.  
  
"Isis-sama.", I say, bowing slightly. When I look up, my breath hitches in my throat; she actually smiles!! Wow!!  
  
"I told you already you don't have to call me that."  
  
But I do it though. She's so. . . serious all the time! She's just like a queen. And she's wise. I really learned to like her the past years, she was for me like. . . yeah. . . like some kind of mother. She's beautiful, on the in- and on the outside.  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"I like to keep an eye on my brother." I nod and smile; that's just like Isis. "I think you were pretty lucky today.", she continues calmly. I tilt my head. "Because you easily could have been killed.", Isis explains and brings her right hand to my cheek were the claws touched me. By the way, I feel a bit dizzy. . . her cool, tanned hand touches the gash, her serene face grimaces in pity. "Chibi ichi, you got to get back home.", she murmurs. I can only nod again; it seems like my voice lost the little power it had.  
  
Then everything goes dark, and white swirls are in front of my inner eye, and I feel like falling, falling and falling and landing within slender, female arms. . .  
  
Darkness.  
  
*~*  
  
Aw, what happened to poor Ryou?  
  
Bakura: Well I don't know. You wrote it. And he better get well soon!  
  
Voice: He will.  
  
Anzu: What's going on anyways, V-chan?  
  
Voice: If I would tell you, you would know, wouldn't you?  
  
Isis: That was. . . confusing. O.o 


	4. Worry

Hey guys. I'm sorry this chapter took so long. But, with the help of my yami *points to Sugar Kat* finally it's done. Here comes the thankies, did this time by Yugi!  
  
Yugi: Yay!! Okay, first,  
  
To magicianofblackchaos23: Bakura in a cape? –giggles- Sounds hilarious! Maybe we can do that!!  
  
To Sugar-Kat: Wow, S-chan, you really should know what happened, you're V- chan's yami after all. You can read her mind.  
  
Voice: Don't you tell her that!!  
  
Yugi: Too late. .  
  
To Dragon Masters: Thanks! V-chan is glad to hear you liked it. But she got really confused when you reviewed Paper Flowers 1 a while ago. . said something like "maybe he/she didn't even read it. . . ", but don't listen to her, she's kinda nuts. . .  
  
Voice: -__- Remember me that I will never let you do the thanks again, Yugi.  
  
Yugi: Sure thing.  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: ^_^" She'll fix him, I promise. . .  
  
To Aman-chan: Well. .  
  
Malik: -pushes Yugi out of the way- Kitty!! –huggles kitten-  
  
Yugi: As I said, WELL, there will be much more cliffies, but I promise Ryou will be okay ^^ Since he's some kind of main character.  
  
To Rowan Girl: Uhm.. .  
  
To Fluffy: Mood swings are good, V-chan has them alllll the time.  
  
Voice: -_-*  
  
Yugi: Hehe. .. she'll kill me for that. -_-' Anyways, we're proud of you because of that super long review! Yay!  
  
Voice: -growls- Next time, you reviewers can tell me who do you want to do the thanks. I'm not going to choose again. It's on your own risk by the way. –puts flowers on C.L-shrine-  
  
*~*  
  
Ryou's POV  
  
Darkness. Complete and complete darkness. Everywhere around me, and I try to open my eyes, but somehow I can't. Darn. Someone's calling my name. Someone's sobbing. I wonder who someone is. . . Why is someone sad? Because of me? But I'm alright! I can't move. I can't turn. I can't do anything, like I'm in a stupor. Maybe I am? What if I am? Who'll help me? I bet Bakura would. . . but where is Bakura? Has he left me? He can't abandon me, he said he loved me. Does he? I hope so. . . because I love him. Is that the reason I'm still here? Someone's talking. Sounds familiar. . .  
  
"The claws were poisoned. I can't say if he comes around."  
  
What claws? Ah. . . the one's of that one thing that attacked me at the mall? But that was just a small cut. Nothing bad. Really.  
  
*~*  
  
Normal POV  
  
Little did Ryou know as he thought that innocent thoughts. Seto was holding one of his wrists, checking his pulse, and a worried expression darkened his face.  
  
"That's all my fault. . . ", Anzu whispered from the other side of the bed where she sat in a chair. Bakura stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder, looking down on his love more than worried.  
  
"It's not. You had to do that; by the training he got I wonder why he could get hit so badly."  
  
"Don't you dare speak of him like that. . . "  
  
"Calm down, Bakura. All I cans ay is tat he wasn't careful enough, unfortunately, and that I did what I could. Now we have to wait."  
  
Anzu buried her face in her hands and tears started to flow again. Bakura himself blinked a few times to fight his own tears back, but it wasn't possible since Ryou was in his stupor. Nobody knew what was going to happen, if he would ever wake up again or not.  
  
Bakura found himself kneeling in front of Mariku's grave as his mind kicked in again. When did he come here? He even had his hands clasped before his heart, silently praying without realizing it. Over and over he read the letters engraved in the anthracite stone which said his step-brothers full name; Bakura found it kind of depressing, that Ishtar Mariku Osiris had been judged by the very god he was named after when he died. The albino still was sad. In fact, he was mourning. Two years after Mariku's death he still couldn't get over it.  
  
*~* Bakura's POV  
  
I spent all my life with him. And just when I decided to spent the rest of my life with my Ryou, the gods took Mariku away. But if Ryou will go, who will comfort me, who will help me mourn and forget?  
  
How can I even be so selfish? I don't want Ryou to die! I don't want to lose my angel! But I didn't want to lose Mariku, too. . . Isis once told me, when we were younger and she was the one caring for us, that everything was planned. Planned and plotted to be and not to change.  
  
But yet she was proved wrong when fate crashed down on us. Anuket, that Egyptian goddess, sent us back in time which obviously wasn't meant to be and made us decide what no one ever would want to decide. Mariku's life and a second childhood for some of us, or Mariku's death and the regular form; Mariku decided on his own. Is it now my turn to decide? But what is the second option? I would do anything to bring Ryou back to health, anything and everything, I even would give my own life, though I then couldn't be with him and that would be as bad as if he died.  
  
It's better if I suffer then him. He's too beautiful to get those lines and crevices Isis already has. I'm not saying my sister isn't beautiful, I know she is. Incredibly so. Not only from the outside, but from the inside too. And yet she's got those lines and marks of sorrow all around her eyes and mouth.  
  
Nobody's beauty goes beyond Ryou's. He truly is an angel; I even was about asking Anuket if she had sent him. But I didn't dare. She's a goddess after all, I mean; she could wipe me off the earth's surface with a flick of her hand. When I'm with Ryou, I even forget about Kristin, and about Yami too in that process. He really is the world's greatest asshole. I hate him. I despise him. I loathe him! If I could, I would kill him. But that would make everyone sad or angry; for we're 'friends' now. Doesn't anyone besides Anzu see that this pharaoh's reincarnation is. . is. . . I can't even find a word for that jerk!  
  
I'm still staring at Mariku's grave. It's pretty, the flowers Isis and Malik set on it are blooming all around it with their little white blossoms. It's not fair that his body had been chimera food. Damn those things! Little bastards, all of them. . .I go back to hate the world and the heavens as they seem to hate me.  
  
I can hear footsteps behind me, approaching me. Maybe it's Anzu, sent by Seto, to tell me Ryou will be okay. . .  
  
I turn around, and- WHAT?  
  
No! That's not possible!  
  
It can't be. . .  
  
*~*  
  
Cliffie!! I'm sorry this chapter is so short and took so long, but I try and write faster next time! 


	5. Tears for those who suffer

Whoa, I feel so loooved. . .  
  
Seto: She's losing it -__-  
  
Voice: Feh, thanks Seto. . as your punishment I decide you can thank my reviewers.  
  
Seto: Wha? NO! I didn't anything!  
  
Voice: -smirks- You also were requested by some readers to do it.  
  
Seto: Fine. . .  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: Oh well, so many suggestions. .  
  
To Anime Crazed: Again those suggestions. . . you all infatuated V-sama with them!  
  
To Sugar-Kat: No, it's the second crazy authoress! I suggest we should run before they lock us up in that damn temple again. . –sighs- And of course you know who it is. Even if she didn't tell you, you can read her mind I guess.  
  
To Lee-chan: Uh, yeah, now I'm confused too. But who would Ryou be if he still was Ryou but not Ryou enough? Heh?  
  
To snow-shadow-wolf: Argh, not that crazy goddess! I don't EVER want to see her again!! Damn her! Damn her I say!!  
  
Anuket: -slooowly lifts an eyebrow-  
  
Seto: O.O *gulp*. . . well. . .  
  
To Aman-chan: An. . . action figure. Wow. That really is great you know. I hate those things, but V-sama was crazed about it. . . kept staring at her pc in disbelief and stuff. She's jealous because you can't buy this stuff in germany.  
  
Voice: -glares at Seto-  
  
Seto: Wow, now I feel loved too. . . –sighs- OH, and Malik got all scared. I guess your yami frightened him. He told me to give you that thingy back. –hands the kitten back-  
  
To magicianofblackchaos23: Yay, a party. And who will afford it? Heh? Me, of course. -.- V-sama though likes the idea.  
  
To Dragon Masters: Heh, it was fun to see V-sama confused. Crazy authoress. *growl*  
  
To Fluffy: Wow, a pet spark? I want one too!!  
  
Voice: Strange things happen here. . o.O Seto actually likes something.  
  
Seto: Whatever you say, crazy authoress. . anyways! I don't think V-sama got a hotmail account, but she got one at AOL! Yeah!  
  
Voice: Thank you Seto, you've been a bit help o.O Another bishie who definitely wont do that again!  
  
*~*  
  
Normal POV  
  
Bakura stared speechlessly at the tall figure approaching him slowly; shock in his eyes and fear in his heart. This really couldn't be! It was almost impossible!  
  
The white-haired one's heart skipped a beat, because of joy or fear, he may never know.  
  
"Y-You. . . "  
  
"I missed you, Bakura.", a smooth voice purred, sounding much like velvet, soothing, seducing. . "Did you miss me too?" The figure bent down, lifting Bakura's chin up so the albino was forced to stare into the darkness beneath the hood that covered the person's hair and face.  
  
"Uhm. . "For the first time in his life Bakura felt a loss of words when he needed them.  
  
"You do know who I am right?"  
  
Regaining his strength and confidence, Bakura got up, memories flooding through him openly as the person slowly lifted one hand to his face and pulled the hood back.  
  
Malik and Isis returning from Egypt, faces pale and serene.  
  
The girls holding each other mourning.  
  
Ryou's eyes wide and shocked.  
  
Anzu crying in the room beneath the chapel.  
  
~I hold you close and shout out the words I only whispered before...~  
  
"No. . don't leave me! . . I love you!"  
  
~If only tears could bring you back. . ~  
  
"Mariku."  
  
*~*  
  
Anzu's POV  
  
I sit at Ryou's side for hours now; I wonder if he will get along. It's my fault, I know it, if only I hadn't dragged him in there. . . Seto keeps telling me it's okay.  
  
Okay?!  
  
There lies the one, true love of my best friend, a good friend himself, and is about to die, and he tells me it's OKAY??  
  
I guess I finally cracked. Damn those chimera things. . . I never saw one before, but Malik drew one once and showed it to me when he visited me at the mental institution.  
  
"Is he any better?", I hear a calm voice that I recognize as Isis'. Seto shakes his head no, and I stare at my hands intertwined with Ryou's limb one. A surprisingly warm hand lays down on my shoulder; I automatically raise one of my hands and lay it over it. Malik. Only the Egyptian boy has that kind of skin. He feels like sun itself. Mariku felt like that too. .  
  
Yeah, I know what you think now. 'She never really did touch him, did she?' I did, actually. I clearly remember that one mission. . Sigh. .  
  
It was the first mission Shizuka and I went on, so Seto decided Mariku should go with us. Our victims were two men in their middle forties, and I remember them on the ground, on their knees. I clutched my weapon with both hands, staring wide eyed at the figure before me; a man who was proud and about three heads taller than me kneeled and whimpered and begged. My mind was empty, I couldn't think, couldn't move, I couldn't even pull the trigger. I heard the shot Shizuka let go, her soft whimper and a 'thumb' when her knees hit the floor in front of the bleeding corpse she was responsible for. I guess the man saw the tears in my eyes, so he stopped begging and reached inside his jacket, revealing a weapon himself. .  
  
That was when Mariku came up behind me, on arm wrapping softly around my waste, his other hand resting on mine, his index finger guiding my own. . and the blast hit the victim before he could unsheathe his own blaster. And that was when I decided, Mariku felt like sunshine. Like the sun he could produce those happy making hormones within me, I felt warm and secure as is nothing could happen to me; I miss those days.  
  
And Malik feels like Mariku when he hugs me. Like now. I have to cry again.  
  
"Shh, he'll be alright. . ", he whispers to me. Why do I cry anyways? I thought I had shed all the tears I had for Mariku already, so am I crying for his remembrance or for the unconscious child lying before me? I can't decide, and so I dedicate my tears to both of them while I cling to Malik as if he's my lifeline. His hands rubbing my back soothingly; the memory becomes unbearable. I break into sobs again.  
  
Isis and Seto are staring at me, I know it. But they think I'm crying for Ryou alone, because of the guilt I bear. It's better if they think that way. . I promised Seto a while ago I wouldn't cry anymore because of –him-.  
  
It's like I can still feel his presence though.  
  
*~*  
  
Ha, no cliffie this time ^___^ You proud of me?  
  
Malik: Eh. . no? 


	6. Back from the death

Heyas ppl!! Since the last chapter was a bit short (and since I'm bored right now because I'm waiting for my yami) I made this one a bit longer. Our reviews will answer this time: Mariku!!!  
  
Mariku: Hey there.  
  
Voice: Hey. What does it feel to die?  
  
Mariku: -glares- I guess we should skip to the answers.  
  
To Silver Arrow: Of course we do understand. Everyone wants to see my greatness, it is understandable.  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: UH, okay, since I don't hold a grudge against V-chan anymore for killing me –glares- I'm glad you won't kill her. I'm also flattered everyone loves me so much. ^___^  
  
To Sugar-Kat: Yeah, that's right missy! She made me do this to Bakura because she's waiting for you. It's your damn fault!!! –breathes heavily-  
  
Voice: Don't mind him, yami-chan ^^" He had a lot of sugar today, too. –purrs-  
  
Mariku: Whatever o.O . .  
  
To Aman-chan and Rae: Aw c'mon Rae, passed out hikaris are fun. Uhm. . . don't you EVER frighten my own hikari again!!!!! –glares-  
  
Malik: =3 My yami loves me. –nodnod-  
  
Mariku: Do not. . . -.-  
  
To Fluffylittledragon: I think that was the longest review I ever read from you. I must tell you Seto was happy about his new spark. . he even got a new hairstyle too –sniggers- Looks a lot like mine. So then, El, I'm glad you love me. Like everyone else. Mwah.  
  
Voice: Thank you, Mariku!! You behaved well. –gives Mariku a cookie-  
  
*~*  
  
Normal POV  
  
"You should be anywhere, underworld maybe, but not here!"  
  
"Didn't you miss me, Bakura?"  
  
The albino backed away slowly. It wasn't the appearance of his once-best friend, he had seen zombies before. What crept Bakura out was that this body wasn't Mariku's old one, though it looked like it. Long legs covered in beige pants. A muscle shirt in black. Strong, tanned arms crossed in front of a muscular chest and unruly sand blonde hair. Deep violet eyes without any pupils.  
  
It was the all too familiar smirk. Bakura wasn't supposed to ever see it again, he knew that. He skipped the question.  
  
"You're dead, Mariku. It's been nearly two and a half years, you know."  
  
"I know that!!" In the unearthly voice spiked anger, the half lidded eyes narrowed dangerously. Bakura found himself pinned against the gravestone of an empty tomb, the man whose name engraved of it inches in front of him. Mariku rested his hands on each side of the smaller male, pressing against him lightly.  
  
"You know. . .", the supposed-to-be-dead breathed, eyes becoming seductively half lidded again, voice low and purring. Bakura knew, if he had seen Mariku for the first time this moment, he immediately would've fallen for him, and that was what made him afraid.  
  
"I always wanted to haunt you. . "  
  
"Nani?!"  
  
"For you got all the attention, all the love, everyone you wanted, I even envied you when you were in pain, because you 'could' feel, 'could' love, 'could' being hurt!", Mariku snarled, his lips touching Bakura's slightly with every hissed out word.  
  
Silence fell between them, interrupted only by Mariku's harsh breathing from his mood swings. Something flickered in those violet orbs.  
  
"Who will believe you when you tell them?", the 'spirit' purred. "Because if you will, they'll think you lost your entire mind now. . "  
  
"You're completely insane", Bakura spat, glaring into the other's eyes.  
  
"Maybe, Bakura. . but guess who attacked your precious little Ryou at the mall?"  
  
"Bastard!!"  
  
"Thank you. Does the poison work well? How is he, anyway? He's a nice little prize you know. . "  
  
"Leave him out of this! You attacked him, so you also can heal him."  
  
"Of course I could. But like hell I will."  
  
Bakura tried to free himself desperately, unbearable anger flaming through him; all he wanted was to punch that handsome face in front of him until nothing but a bloody mess was left.  
  
"First he'll be haunted by nightmares. . then he'll go blind. . paralyzed. . and then comatose.", Mariku purred with satisfaction. "But until then, I'll already have him with me, and there's nothing you can do about it. . "  
  
"You-!"  
  
"I hope Anzu-chan still cries for me."  
  
Then, with a single lick over Bakura's bottom lip he was gone, leaving the smaller one dazed against the gravestone.  
  
Yami paced his room restlessly. It's been hours since he last heard from Yuugi. Because of all those. . creatures suddenly present, the incarnated one was more than worried about his little love. At that thought, a soft smile graced Yami's stoic features. The angel had gone to visit the other angel; what was his name? It didn't matter to him anymore; he didn't want to hurt Bakura again. Yami wasn't even proud of what he had done. He thought it was necessary. . it had been completely foolish.  
  
The tri-colour haired youth came to a halt at the large window, staring at the pace leading to the gates which maybe looked kind of ancient, but where equipped with every technical alarm plant available. Yami had made Mai go with Yuugi since she too wanted to see if Bakura's little boyfriend. . Ryou was his name, Yami guessed. . was well. After the white-haired teen had passed out in front of the mall with that small cut on his flawless cheek, Bakura had lost it, picking the young one up and carrying him, not letting anyone near him.  
  
Yami sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against the cool glass for a moment. He still remembered how those cheeks of the little one felt, how nice it was to touch him back then when he sent him and 'that girl'. . he refused to think of her as 'Anzu' now. . to the Shadow Realm to challenge Bakura. A single, brief moment, Ryou had been his, complete victory coursing through Yami as he held the lithe body, which was so much like Bakura's, close. Was that why he had done everything to get Bakura's loved one's?  
  
Because he loved him deep inside?  
  
Then why did he feel sorry and guilty because of Ryou, for he wasn't there earlier?  
  
Maybe because Ryou 'was' like Bakura?  
  
Or because he wasn't a complete ass anymore?  
  
Yami's eyes clenched shut, holding back tears of confusion. He did love Yuugi, didn't he?  
  
"It's your fault."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Yami turned around, but – nobody was there. He shook his head to get rid of the sensation of being watched viciously, and tried to calm down.  
  
"It's your fault." That whisper again. Deep, low, purring. . taunting and accusing. And how right it was to Yami.  
  
"Yeah. . maybe. . "  
  
"Not just maybe, Yami. I is your fault. Everything. . "  
  
Yami's head was spinning, he felt dizzy, but the voice was right, wasn't it? It HAD been his fault. They wouldn't be in this situation if he didn't break loose this fight so many years ago. .  
  
The now twenty-year-old pounded his fist against the window once, desperately.  
  
"It's been. . . seven years. . . "  
  
Cool blue eyes watched, now tinted in worry and despair, as the Egyptian teen tried to calm down the still sobbing Anzu. Isis heaved a sigh, not knowing what to do. She felt that something was approaching, even without the Millenniums Tauk. She couldn't see the future clearly, but sometimes –and just sometimes!- her guardian goddess would grant her a glance, just to prevent danger. The vision Anuket sent her before that incident with Ryou had been a bit too late though. When Isis had woken from her trance, Shizuka was on the large monitor, frantically gesturing while talking to Seto.  
  
Said male stood next to her, his eyes fixed on the slumbering, white-haired angel on the bed. . . if only he was slumbering. Isis had the bad feeling that this light slumber would turn into deep sleep soon; a very bad sleep. Ryou wouldn't wake up from it again. The calm woman couldn't stand the quiet, muffled sobbing anymore, and briefly glaring at Seto for not helping his 'cousin' -for she was related to him somehow- the raven-haired woman made her way to the two teens, resting one hand on Malik's shoulder, causing him to look up. Isis nodded shortly; what Anzu needed now were some wisely put words and the comfort of a female.  
  
But even Isis couldn't find the right words when Malik backed away, revealing the brown-haired girl's face which was deadly pale while her eyes were red from crying. She simply wrapped her arms around the younger girl and let her weep.  
  
And right she was, Anzu slowly came to a halt. Only sniffling was heard now.  
  
"Listen, Anzu-chan. It will be alright; Ryou will be alright."  
  
A familiar voice in her head stated: "You don't know that at all." Isis nodded softly.  
  
'I know, Anuket-sama.'  
  
"You know I can't talk to you very long, someone will notice. I'm willing to help you though. Lay down somewhere, and I'll send you everything that happened and everything that will happen, for I can see it quite clear."  
  
"As you wish, Anuket-sama", Isis mumbled out loud by accident, but Anzu didn't seem to hear, and Malik was used to this. His older sister often had conversations with the goddess. . no, the girl he was in love with still.  
  
Isis let go of Anzu, who was quiet now, rubbing her eyes furiously, and dashed into her room as fast as she could without losing her grace. She laid down on her bed, feeing the smooth cotton sheets beneath her, stroking them unconsciously with her fingertips, but concentrated on Anuket's gentle bidding. Soon, she found herself pulled into blackness.  
  
The woman looked around a bit, wondering where she was; when the person she was looking for appeared in front of her in mother-of-pearl-shimmering light. Shoulder long brown hair with black strands softly flowed even as there was now wind. Large, dark brown eyes lined with kohl looked sadly at the 'older' woman, for the appearance was still girl-like. Delicate hands fumbled a bit nervously with the rim of the Egyptian styled white cotton dress. Isis bowed.  
  
"Anuket-sama."  
  
"Isis. . . I longed to see you. Tell me, how is Malik? And everyone else?"  
  
Aquamarine eyes glittered in mild amusement as the goddess tried to paper over the worry she held for Isis' little brother. . . and maybe the love, too.  
  
"You should know, you watch them every day you know.", Isis answered gently. The young goddess smiled.  
  
"Yes, I do. Now to your task; I've seen that someone has resurrected your brother, Mariku, from the death without my permission. I was responsible for his soul you know. See."  
  
Anuket waved her right hand, and a large mirror appeared. In it, there were images, swirling and shadowed, but with another wave of the goddess' hand, they came to a halt. The breath hitched within Isis' throat.  
  
"Mariku. . . "  
  
"That is right. I'm not allowed to get into your lives again, so I will guide you through this task unnoticed. You have to stop him."  
  
"I know. . . but how can I do that?"  
  
Malik sighed as he watched his older sister, the person he loved most in the world -he thought that would be okay, since Mariku was dead and Anuket a higher being- , how she stared at the ceiling with a blank look on her face. It would be no use to try and wake her up, because if she was in trance once, she would only wake up again when she finished whatever she was up to in her mind. He had seen Bakura when he had left his room, where Ryou was bedded, to follow Isis. The older albino had looked as if he had seen some ghosts. Malik shook his head.  
  
Little did he know that said 'ghost' was standing behind him when he bent down to pick up a can Isis had let fall.  
  
*~*  
  
Poor Malik, what will happen to him now.. .?  
  
Malik: Er. . . nothing?  
  
Mariku: -smirks-  
  
Malik: o.O You can't scare me yami.  
  
Mariku: I can't? –loosens his cape and reveals a pink tutu-  
  
Malik: . . . AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaah. . . –runs off-  
  
Mariku: -smirks- Review, people. 


	7. Cold

Sorry for the late update guys, I had to write a report for school and it kinda took too long. . well, here I am. Isis will do the reviews this time, for she's got a kinda major part in this chapter ^____^  
  
Isis: Yay. –dryly- Well, since I can't get out of it, let's get over with it.  
  
To Anime Crazed: I'm afraid Mariku will go insane. I pity him.  
  
To Silver Arrow: Hey, I like your name! Freaky huh. . V-chan is freaky herself. Don't expect her chapters to be different.  
  
To magicianofblackchaos23: D'you wanna know how V-chan reacted when she read your review? She nodded as if she wanted her head to fall off, drooling to herself. Disgusting if you ask me.  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: Uhm, you see. .  
  
Mariku: Cookie. . . T.T  
  
Isis: Be quiet, Mariku. I don't know anything of V-chan's plots, but I guess it will be nice none the less.  
  
To Fluffy: Yeah, it's your fault! Your fault that V-chan made us watch Beauty and the Beast at least five times. . . Hey, do you have a Mariku plushie? .. . Never mind. Seto likes his new pet spark. I like his new hair- do.  
  
To Aman-chan: -pets Aman- Don't cry, sweetie. . everything will be okay. Rae, Mariku said, he never deals with crying hikaris, because if his one cries, it's my turn to watch him -___-  
  
To Sugar Kat: Ah, Yami no V-chan. . she was depressed because you yelled at her. But you already know that. I think she forgave you. –pets-  
  
To kaz: You're one of the few persons who think that Mariku being evil is good. . . o.O  
  
To snow-shadow-wolf: Ohh, icy review.. . ^_^ Personally, I don't like Anuket's part in this fic either. But don't tell her, because if you do, she will make me pay for her cappucchino when we go out later.  
  
Voice: Thanks, Isis ^____^  
  
Isis: Welcome. Can I go now?  
  
Voice: Yeah.  
  
Isis: Very well. –grabs Anuket and heads off to the café-  
  
Voice: Umm. . . enjoy? And don't kill me ^^"  
  
*~*  
  
Still completely dazed, Bakura decided to take a shower before visiting Ryou again. After Mariku nearly had kissed him he felt somewhat dirty, because he had to admit that it didn`t feel that bad. It actually had felt rather nice, and that was what worried him. It wasn`t supposed to feel good. It was supposed to feel so bad that he wanted to push the taller male away. Bakura shook his head and stepped under the water.  
  
He showered for half an hour; and still felt dirty after. His skin was rosy because he had scrubbed so long, and the towel felt rough against it. Dressing and rubbing his hair with the towel, he made his way to where Ryou was; what happened to be his own room. Nothing in the world could make him leave the boy, even when the kid was poisoned, and he had left him observed by Anzu and Seto when he decided he would visit Mariku`s grave. Bakura passed Isis` room, where faint voices were heard; but that moment, he didn`t give a damn, longing to see the smaller albino, though he`d clearly recognize the deeper voice if he had listened properly; it was too deep for his siblings`, too purring for the cool voice of Isis and the most cheery one of Malik.  
  
Anzu still sat in the chair next to the bed, Seto still leaning on the wall next to the window, exactly how Bakura had left them. The thought of lifeless puppets crossed his mind, then Seto looked up and Anzu turned her head, giving him a faint smile.  
  
"He`s still asleep. . "  
  
"I do see that.", came Bakura`s gruffly reply, but he still took the girl into his arms, giving her a reassuring hug. She was trembling.  
  
"Shh, it`s gonna be okay. . ", he whispered so Seto couldn`t hear it; though he knew, if he didn`t think of something, fast, then nothing would ever be okay again. Bakura sighed, playing with the thought of giving himself the satisfaction of telling Anzu Mariku was back, just to hurt someone else than himself, but one gaze towards the comatose boy on the bed, and he decided against it. Ryou wouldn`t want that.  
  
. ..  
  
Damn. Now he already thought of Ryou as if he was dead. Bakura shook his head once again, loosening his near death grip on the girl so she could sit down again. . . but she didn`t. Anzu took Seto`s hand, leaving the room with him. After watching them leave, the taller white-haired male pushed the chair aside and kneeled down at the bedside, taking one of Ryou`s delicate hands in his. He felt tears sting in the corners of his eyes as he felt them all cold and lifeless. No machine helped the boy breathing, his heart was beating shallow but steady, his chest rising and falling softly with each breath.  
  
Resting his head on their joined hands, Bakura closed his eyes, inhaling the sweet scent that was his Ryou, hot, desperate tears falling onto milky white skin. The cold hand against his cheek, he let his tears flow free. The last time he had cried he had lost a beloved person, and he was deadly afraid that it could repeat itself; but this time, Ryou wouldn`t comfort him.  
  
In Isis` room, the woman still laid on her bed, blue eyes blankly staring at the ceiling, her vision not over yet. She couldn`t help her younger brother as he encountered the shock of his life. When he turned around, a familiar person stood in front of him. Though there was a hood covering his head, Malik recognized him.  
  
"Mariku. . "  
  
"Malik.", came the unearthy reply.  
  
"Why. . . why are you here?"  
  
"This is none of your business, little one. But do trust me, you will find out."  
  
The lavender eyed boy flung himself onto his supposed to be dead brother, wrapping his arms around the taller one`s neck, burying his face into a muscular chest.  
  
"You are crying?"  
  
Mariku got no answer as the smaller one only clung to him tighter. Slowly the tall Egyptian raised his arms and wrapped them around his younger brother`s delicate waist, holding him close against his first intentions. He sighed softly, the warmth of the smaller body flowing through him, he felt like he never wanted to let go of human body heat. Though his body lived, he didn`t feel warm nor cold. He usually didn`t feel at all.  
  
"Stop it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stop. Stop haunting. . me."  
  
Malik was so much like Bakura, Mariku mused. He wanted him to live, yet he wanted him to be dead as well. He couldn`t let go but he wanted to. He loved yet hated him. Mariku grinned.  
  
"But it`s so much fun."  
  
"Don`t you ever grow up?"  
  
"You stole that phrase from Isis.", Mariku replied dryly, looking over to the bed, smirking.  
  
"She`s in a conversation with Anuket. . . ", he murmured. Malik jerked his head up and backed away slowly. Mariku used to hold respect for the goddess, calling her mistress or even Anuket-sama all the time he was a spirit. Something definitely wasn`t right.  
  
"I-I guess you should go now. . ."  
  
"Suddenly afraid of me, my dear little brother?", Mariku purred, backing Malik against the nearest wall. How he loved trapping people to see the fear in their eyes. . .  
  
"Yes."  
  
Mariku was slightly taken aback by that truthful answer. But not much. Using his height and weight to trap Malik between himself and the wall, he leaned down to whisper into Malik`s ear, brushing a strand of sandy blonde hair away in the process.  
  
"Why`s Isis always talking to her, anyway? You love her, right?"  
  
Goosebumps built onto Malik`s arms and a shiver ran down his spine.  
  
"Yes. . ."  
  
"Then why won`t she let you talk to her? A goddess isn`t possible to love, you know."  
  
Malik`s eyes widened. "But. . "  
  
"You trust me, ne, Malik?"  
  
"Yeah, I do, but. . "  
  
"Then trust me this time, too; Anuket doesn`t love you. In fact, nobody does."  
  
Hitting a weak spot, Mariku grinned to himself as he felt Malik grow tense. He brought up one hand and gently caressed Malik`s right cheek, still whispering into his left ear.  
  
"I know it, Malik, I know everything now."  
  
"And that. . . is true?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
Mariku nodded, tickling Malik`s right cheek and neck with the tips on his hair. Tears gathered in the teen`s eyes. He rested his hands onto Mariku`s shoulders, clutching them desperately, not wanting him to go.  
  
"Do you love me?"  
  
The taller one kissed his cheek, letting his lips linger there as he spoke.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Isis woke up a few minutes later, blinking until her eyes were wet enough to see properly and stop burning. She had stared at the ceiling for a long time unblinking. Her room was empty, but her window was open; she didn`t remember opening it. Standing up, she walked over to it calmly, closing it. Though she had a bad feeling about something, she couldn`t describe it, and she doubted the prophecy Anuket gave her would fulfill here and now. The woman decided ton check on Ryou, and as she reached Bakura`s room where the boy was bedded, she found the most sad yet cute sight she ever saw; Ryou blinking sleepily down at Bakura, who was fast asleep with their fingers intertwined.  
  
"You`re up.", she stated softly, not to startle Ryou or wake Bakura up. The teen looked up and smiled when he rcognized her; though his eyes were a bit unfocused.  
  
"Yeah. What happened anyway?"  
  
"You passed out in front of the mall. A poison courses through your veins.", Isis explained, taking a seat on the free side of the large bed. Ryou`s head turned as he followed her voice.  
  
"How do you feel, little one?"  
  
"I`m fine, I guess. At least I don`t feel any pain. . "  
  
"That`s nice.", the woman said before Ryou could finish his sentence. When he ended it, Isis nearly was in tears.  
  
"Isis? Why can`t I see anything?"  
  
"Because. . . because the poison. . blinded you."  
  
She could have slapped herself; her voice sounded strangled as she tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall.  
  
"Are you crying?"  
  
"No. . no, I`m not."  
  
"Could you hold me? I don`t want to wake Bakura up. . "  
  
Isis let her tears fall now as she gathered the boy in her arms, holding him protectively, and soon they both were crying.  
  
"You should sleep now, little one. . . you need to rest."  
  
Ryou nodded, being the little angel he was. "Could you sing, please?"  
  
"I guess I can manage that. . . ", Isis said, a small, sad smile tugging at her lips, and relaxing her throat, which felt like someone was trying to choke her, she began to sing quietly to him. Unconsciously, she changed the tune halfway through the song she sang, which had been Malik´s favorite song when he had been little, and sang an evenly old one, which reminded her of Mariku oddly.  
  
~If only tears could bring you back to me. . . ~  
  
Somewhere in this song, Ryou fell asleep again, and Isis went down to find someone.  
  
Instinctively, she began searching for Malik. Shizuka crossed her way.  
  
"Hey Isis-san!"  
  
"Hello, Shizuka-chan."  
  
"Have you seen Seto?"  
  
Isis shook her head. Shizuka looked somewhat disappointed, but left with a smile addressing Isis. The older woman peered into Malik`s room. It was empty, just as the kitchen was, the basement where he was sometimes to play video games, the room with the large computer screens was empty too besides Anzu who typed feverishly. The last one where her young brother could be was the living room. And it wasn`t even empty. But the persons sitting there were not whom Isis searched.  
  
"Yami? Yuugi?"  
  
"Hey Isis-san!", the smaller one squealed, hugging her around the middle cheerily. Yami only smiled slightly and nodded at her, while she patted Yuugi on the head absentmindedly, nodded a greeting, and turned to Seto, who sat in an armchair frowning.  
  
"Shizuka searches for you."  
  
"I really don`t care at the moment. . "  
  
Isis frowned, Yuugi finally letting go of her and bouncing back to the couch where he sat down next to Yami. The woman couldn`t help but smile inwardly at the teen`s antics; he was as old as Ryou was and still acted like a child sometimes. It was kind of cute.  
  
"And Ryou woke up."  
  
Immediately, Seto`s frown was gone and Yuugi stopped bouncing, sitting perfectly still and gazing at her as seriously as Yami was.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes." Isis took a seat. "He. . . he is blinded."  
  
She watched Yuugi`s expression contort in horror, Yami`s face pale, and Seto growing tense.  
  
"T_That can`t be. . . ", Yuugi managed. Yami slipped one arm around the shivering teen`s waist, holding him close and letting him cry into his shoulder while he kept his stoic expression.  
  
"A strange poison it is indeed. . . ", Seto whispered. Isis felt like losing her temper; singing Ryou to sleep, holding him, crying for him and seeing him cry as well as searching for Malik effortlessly had made her nerves sensitive.  
  
"The boy will never be able to see again", she stated as calmly as she could, her voice becoming cold as ice as well as her eyes, glaring at Seto, fingers curling around the sides of the armchair until her knuckles turned white. "And all you think about it a Ra damned poison?!"  
  
The tall brunette was stunned. He never witnessed Isis losing her temper, but the rumors about it were horrible. Yami unconsciously held the sobbing Yuugi closer.  
  
"Seth damned bastard! Don`t you give a damn about the boy`s life?"  
  
Seto`s mouth opened and closed again without a sound passing through his lips.  
  
"Of course you don`t. . anymore. He was useful to you while he had his health, and now that he`s diseased you don`t care anymore!"  
  
"No, Isis, please. . "  
  
But the woman already stormed out of the room, back to Bakura`s, where both males were still sleeping. She shook Bakura as gently as she could in her rage, pacing the room restlessly as the man she accepted as her brother woke up slowly.  
  
"What is it. . . ?"  
  
"Ryou woke up earlier and Malik is no where to be found."  
  
It took a while for Bakura to realize what Isis just had said.  
  
When he had understood, his eyes widened in horror.  
  
"How is Ryou?"  
  
"He is blind."  
  
Bakura hung his head, eyes wide with shock. "No. . not yet. . "  
  
"Is there something you know?!", Isis asked, still worried as hell. Bakura looked up at her slowly, and if there weren`t so much truth and sadness in his eyes, Isis hadn`t believed the next thing he told her.  
  
"Mariku is back."  
  
". . . Malik. . . "  
  
*~*  
  
Huh. . . not really a cliffie, right? But what happened to Malik? What will happen to Ryou? 


	8. Every time

Heyas guys. I'm sorry you have to be mad at me ^^" I really am cruel. Mai will do the reviews today.  
  
Mai: YAYS!!  
  
Mariku: -whispers to Malik- She must be insane. .  
  
Mai: I heard that, psycho! Anyways. First, V-chan thanks you all for your reviews. I will answer them now. ^___^  
  
To HiTechDragon: Thanks very much ^__^  
  
To SilverArrow: Yeah, I'm pretty sorry for Ryou too. . . but we need a plot. –nods-  
  
To magicianofblackchaos23: Hey, the jerk reserved it! Damn him!!  
  
Seto: . . o.O  
  
Mai: Ehehe ^^" Sorry Seto-chan.  
  
To Anime Crazed: You're one of the few people who weren't mad! Yay! –hands over pocky-  
  
To snow-shadow-wolf: Wow, what a change from your usual reviews. . . anyways. Mariku's not really Bakura's cousin here. It's true they were in the same clan, and Isis kind of adopted Bakura after he and Mariku were being raised almost like brothers, but they're not really related to each other. –nods- Hope you feel better soon!  
  
To Sugar-Kat: S-chan!! –glomps- Heeey, how are you? Anyways. Ahem. *cough* V-chan forgave you ^^" Well. . she couldn't not do it, could she?  
  
To Lee-chan: Yeah, he's blind. –nodnod- And yeah, V-chan's evil. .  
  
Voice: Hey!!  
  
Mai: ^^" Ryou will be okay. Won't you, Ryou-chan.  
  
Ryou: Uh, I don't know, since V-chan hasn't written the whole fic yet. But I guess she's got a good plan.  
  
Voice: At least someone who's on my side ^^ -hugs Ryou-  
  
Mai: . . -_-  
  
To Rowan Girl: Uh, he hasn't much of a choice, has he. . ?  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: O_O  
  
To Aman-chan: Awwwww. . . –hands Aman some pocky- Don't cry! V-chan said the plot is clear in her head now. And since her head's much cleaner than her room, I hope she'll know what she does. Rae, Isis says thanks, and Seto sulked. . . Ha! Serves him right!!  
  
Seto: . . . o.O?  
  
Mai: .. . .  
  
To Fluffy: -hands Fluffy a Mariku plushie- There you go ^___^ V-chan made it herself. You can't buy that stuff in Germany after all. It's your fault again V-chan put us in front of the TV and made us watch Pocahontas now. She's crazed about that movie, as well as over Mulan. -__- Happy related birthday!! –hands over some birthday cake- V-chan's mum made it yesterday for V-chan's birthday, the 30th of April. . you're both Taurus then, ne?  
  
Voice: Wow, so many reviews ^___^ Enjoy the chapter. I try to make these things longer.  
  
*~*  
  
Thickly lashed eyelids fluttered open, revealing hazy cerulean orbs as the dim light of the computer screen flickered softly over the figure laying over the keyboard. It was far past midnight when the girl finally awoke, having fallen asleep over her work. Blinking a few times around, she noticed being still in the computer room, her blouse wrinkled and the button of her jeans digging painfully into the soft skin of her abdomen as she was slouched in the rather uncomfortable chair.  
  
Anzu sat up, wincing as her spine gave a cracking sound, and stretched her arms that had fallen asleep as well, numb from her shoulders to her fingertips. On the screen blinked an alert message, and the girl's eyebrows furrowed in foreshadowing, and she leaned forward to let her sleep hazed eyes read it properly. A gasp echoed in the empty, dark room.  
  
"C-Can't be. . . "  
  
A glance at her wrist watch told her said item wasn't there, and she groaned in annoyance, having take it off when she put on the broad silver bracelets along with the same styled choker and rings on her neck and middle fingers of both hands. Though she didn't know where she got the adornments, she'd put them on in the morning, remembering a dream in where she had worn them.  
  
Clearly dissatisfied, Anzu turned the computer's energy off and left the room, strolling through the dark corridors of the mansion, heading for a random clock that would tell her what time it was. A familiar feeling pooled in her stomach, and the girl's skin went pale. The burning sensation rose into her chest as she rushed to the nearest bathroom, into her throat, when she pushed the door open, sour in her mouth when she dropped to her knees. Anzu closed her eyes which were glistening with unshed tears and gripped toilet bowl hard with both hands. Her shoulders shook with wrenched, quiet sobs as she gave up what little she ate that day.  
  
~Every time I try to fly I fall without my wings~  
  
Trembling slightly, the girl collapsed onto her hands and knees, sitting on her heels still sobbing.  
  
~I feel so small~  
  
Images of her most precious dream came to her mind, causing her tears to flow freely, crystalline streams on sickly pale cheeks.  
  
~I guess I need you baby~  
  
Sandy blonde bangs, wildly arranged around the tan face, falling into dusty violet eyes. Strong arms circling her in a loving embrace, eyes smiling, with his lips upon hers, trailing kisses everywhere over her face and neck. Everything was strangely mute in her memories though the dream itself hadn't been.  
  
~And every time I see you in my dreams I see your face, it's haunting me~  
  
Whispered words of sweet, sweet nonsense, declarations of eternal, immortal love, nothings that only the desperate dream about. The waves of emotion alone had left her panting, added to the passionate heat the other body gave her.  
  
~I guess I need you baby~  
  
Anzu's sobs subsided down to incoherent whimpers as she stood up, clutching one hand over her aching abdomen and looking into the mirror over the sink tiredly. Angry red surrounded her eyes within her still pale face; she smiled bitterly. Finally, her face wasn't a mask anymore. Cheery, she was supposed to be. Carefree acting. Smiling and laughing. But this image, this face staring back at her from the mirror, this was her. Completely and entirely like she felt on the inside; broken and crying. The brunette didn't even try to hush her quiet sobs and sniffles, the bathroom was too far away from any of the bedrooms anyway. Suddenly, she felt alone. Like she was the only person left on the whole planet, in the whole universe, and the thought crossed her mind that Isis and Malik and Bakura and. . Mariku may had felt like that too back in Egypt; new tears welled up in her eyes, leaving them way too bright for Anzu's liking.  
  
With a shaking hand, she wiped her mouth, then proceeded to turn on the water and wash out her mouth so the sick taste would go away. Even the water looked like tears to her.  
  
"I'm broken. . . ", she whispered defeated. "Like a forgotten doll. . . well maybe an action figure." Anzu chuckled dryly at this and lifted her gaze, imagining the night sky instead of the light blue ceiling. "I'd rather have died with you. . "  
  
Dying. The thought was permanent in her mind, ever since two and a half years ago. She'd talked to the psychiatrist about it, but they only gave her medication against depressions; and now, the medication was long gone. But the thought was still there. Anzu felt the urge to laugh at the irony of life, laugh loud and hard, until the tears would flow again – but she didn't. She didn't want anyone to wake up. Ever so slowly, she opened the small closet hidden behind the mirror and pondered for a moment, head tilted, her hair sticking sweat damp to her cheek and neck, before she reached out and took something gingerly.  
  
Maybe her favourite weapon would be the better choice, painless, fast, neat. But she longed for the pain that moment, felt the urge to just feel at least something within the broken, numb form of her much too flawless body, to rip something open, destroy, and see the crimson life dropping on the floor. Her fingertips gently caressed the shining, silvery sharpness of the razor blade.  
  
Seto laid motionless on his back, with Shizuka next to him on her side facing the wall, her breathing slow and calm. He simply stared at the ceiling though he couldn't even see it in the dark room; he was lost in deep thought. The things Isis had said to him earlier just didn't leave his mind, how her ever-so-calm eyes had flashed with unearthly fury, how sharp and hurt her voice had been, how accusing she had yelled at him. Using Ryou? Seto couldn't even bring himself to scold the kid. He was such a sweet boy, much like a child, and the thought that he was blinded; the sight of his eyes unfocused and hazy alone hurt him enough to make him feel like the worse person on earth.  
  
The CEO heard faint noises and looked over to his fiancée, but the girl still was sleeping soundly. All he could hear from her was her breathing. A glance at the alarm clock told him it was almost 2.30 in the morning; nobody should be awake yet. Maybe some gangster had tricked the alarm systems – and everyone was sleeping. Deciding he should protect his friends no matter what -and because Isis maybe would forgive him then, too- Seto got up quietly and walked with an almost feline grace onto the corridor, not making a sound. The sounds had stopped, but every now and then he could hear a soft moaning. It wasn't a moan in pleasure though, like he had thought first; it sounded pained. Following the sound, he soon stood in front of the nearest bathroom door.  
  
His heart skipped a beat when he opened it, scanning the scene within the dimly lit room, and started racing then. Blood pounded in his ears, dimming every sound from the outside, his mind screaming for him to move, but – he was frozen.  
  
Dull blue eyes were half way open, staring into nothing, soaked brown locks clinging to the ghostly pale face, dry lips parted slightly, stained, stained, stained with the crimson liquid surrounding the upper body, white arms with criss-crossed slashed wrists sprawled out, the evenly stained razor blade still in limb fingers. A bruise was beginning to form on her right temple.  
  
That was when Seto screamed.  
  
Screamed and screamed and screamed, in a high-pitched tone of voice that wouldn't ever suit him, eyes wide in horror and fixed to the nightmarish scene in front of him, screamed until he went deaf, numb, and couldn't hear his cries anymore. . .  
  
Someone bolted down the stairs, and Seto felt hands grabbing him, turning him away from the girl roughly, but he couldn't move, he couldn't. . . couldn't tear his gaze away. A flash of white, Bakura shoved him out of the bathroom door. A flash of black, Isis held him. Seto's mind whirled pulling him deeper and deeper into a world of darkness, and he could see Malik holding Shizuka, both in tears, before he fainted the first time in his life.  
  
*~*  
  
Cliffie! And way too much angst. . . o.O erm, don't kill me? Please? ^___^ 


	9. Anzu's secret

Heyaaaaas! Gods, my head kills me some time soon. . . I feel like I'm getting ill. It wouldn't be that bad if it was a disease though ^^ No, I have to be allergic of every pollen that comes my way. Sigh. Anyways, today, it's my own turn to do the reviews too.  
  
To trefenwyd12: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like these fics of mine –glomps- It would be terrible if I would be chased down and wouldn't get a cookie indeed O__O Anyways! I try to make it as graphic as I can. –nods- Soon, the real plot of PFII will begin. . .  
  
To Anime Crazed: If I would tell you what's next then you wouldn't get the suspense –giggles-  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: I will, promise ^^  
  
To magicianofblackchaos23: Yep, in Germany we call Shizuka Serenity too. It's the American's fault though -__- Because we translated from English to German than from Japanese. I'm glad you like it ^__^ And, yes, Ryou does always get through. .  
  
To HiTechDragon: UH. . thanks!  
  
To Silver Arrow: Yep, Seto screaming doesn't fit him, but. . . he kinda freaked ^^"  
  
To Rowan Girl: Thank you ^^ I used your suggestion in this chapter. It's a good one. It reminded me a bit of The Never Ending Story though. . . there's nothingness, too. ^^  
  
To SugarKat: UH. . . yami-chan? Don't laugh at Seto. Pity him. I tell you for the last time now. ^___^  
  
To Aman-chan and Rae: Thank you ^__^ Well, my yami doesn't know either what I'm up to next *grins* I feel sorry for Aman-chan. . . It's my fault she's in a daze now T.T  
  
To Fluffylittledragon: Me? An Anzu-basher? I would have killed her long ago slowly and painfully if I was. NO, I actually like Anzu ^___^ That's why I paired her up with Mariku –drools- uhm. . . kinda. Yeah, in Germany Battle City is coming to an end too. Seto is duelling Joey, and Malik wants to get his body back from within Tea's mind. Yeah. –sighs- GO TAURUS! And I don't think I'm psychic ^^" I just like the movie. . . I like the little cricket, too.  
  
I feel alone. . . –sighs- The cast has gone to get some food. I hope they'll bring some ramen noodles. ^___^ Enjoy!  
  
*~*  
  
Ryou awoke from screaming and yelling downstairs. It didn't do him anything good though since he couldn't see. . . everything was dark yet light; it was as if he was staring into pure nothingness. The boy hadn't bothered with crying for himself, nor had he wondered. He began too, though.  
  
What did he do wrong to be punished?, he asked himself, immediately finding an answer.  
  
*You stole from people.*  
  
'But everyone does that. . . Mariku and Bakura did it too!'  
  
*Yeah, and they were punished thoroughly, weren't they?'  
  
With that, the menacing little voice in the back of his mind was quiet. Ryou knew he was right, though he was arguing with himself, again, as Anzu would put it in. . by that thought, he wondered what had happened downstairs, and after a moment hesitating, he started calling for the first person in his mind; Bakura.  
  
Footsteps neared, though they weren't Bakura's, Ryou noticed, but he was glad anyone was going to be with him. He didn't want to be alone. The boy feared the nothingness. Someone gingerly sat down on the side of his bed.  
  
"Bakura will be with you soon."  
  
"Shizuka-chan?"  
  
The girl nodded, shook her head then, and answered. "Yeah. Did you have a bad dream, Ryou-chan?"  
  
The albino noticed the gentle seriousness in Shizuka's voice, so unlike her, and cocked his head.  
  
"No. I woke up because everyone was yelling. . . "  
  
A delicate hand rested upon his own.  
  
"I don't know if I should tell you. . we weren't yelling actually."  
  
"But-"  
  
"We were screaming. Screaming and gasping and crying.", Shizuka answered, her voice cracking slightly, the bitterness of tears in her very presence.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Anzu-chan. . . she. . . she is. . "  
  
"Badly hurt.", another voice came from the door, and both teens looked up, Shizuka seeing the lithe form of Isis standing there.  
  
"Shizuka, you should go and take care of Seto."  
  
The weight left Ryou's bed and was replaced with another as Isis took Shizuka's place.  
  
"What happened to her?"  
  
Isis stared into lifeless hazy orbs that had been bright once, gulping.  
  
"She cut herself."  
  
"How did that happen? Did she have an accident?", Ryou asked worriedly. Isis hated herself for telling Ryou what Bakura should've told him, to be there for comfort. . .  
  
"No, Ryou. She did it on purpose.", the woman said softly, trying to be as calm as she could.  
  
Tears filled Ryou's unseeing eyes. "Does that mean she. . "  
  
"Yes. Anzu committed suicide.", Isis whispered, not quite believing it herself, and petted the boy's head soothingly as he broke down sobbing when realization hit him.  
  
"Cry, Ryou. . .you will feel better afterwards. . "  
  
~Now I try hard to make it, I just wanna make you proud~  
  
~Cause we lost it all, nothing lasts forever~  
  
~I'm sorry, I can't be perfect~  
  
Bakura stared unfocused at the thick glass in front of him, soft buzzing of the machine filling his ears. After he had shoved Seto out of the bathroom, he had picked the supposedly dead girl up as softly as if she could feel it, and had held her close.  
  
That moment, he felt the soft pounding under his fingertips, almost not there, faint and light. . . but it was there. Wordlessly he had left the room and brought her down to the recovering chamber, linking her to the machine, and watching her faint heartbeat growing steady as blood started to be built up again.  
  
~Now it's just too late and we can't go back~  
  
"If you just told me. . . "  
  
~I'm sorry, I can't be perfect~  
  
Bakura opened another folder, when a message blinked up on the screen. The second time that night a gasp was heard within the empty room.  
  
+Heartbeat steadied+  
  
+Heartbeat recovering+, it said, as another window blinked and two instead of one chart showed him how fast the girl's heart pumped the blood through her body. . .  
  
But the first heartbeat was steadied indeed, slow and almost strong again, while the second was slightly faster and more shallow.  
  
"She's. . . "  
  
~Please don't turn your back now, I wished I could talk to you but you don't understand. . ~  
  
Bakura sank down in his chair, staring at the flowing body speechlessly, eyes fastening themselves on the girl's abdomen.  
  
"But. . . who. . ?"  
  
He decided he needed help. Fast.  
  
Isis jumped a bit while holding the sobbing Ryou when Bakura stormed in, panting and clearly shocked. Throwing himself on the bed next to Ryou, he looked at Isis, then at his love, and his face darkened.  
  
"Ryou, why are you crying?"  
  
The little one looked up. "B-Bakura. . "  
  
"I told him. . . about Anzu.", Isis stated quietly. Bakura nodded while pulling Ryou into an embrace. "Yeah, about her. . . Isis, I need your help."  
  
The older woman's eyes narrowed slightly in sudden seriousness, and her features became calm. "What is it?"  
  
"She's alive."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Ryou's head shot up. "Really?"  
  
"Yes. She slashed her wrists, that's true, but it seems she didn't want to though."  
  
"How's that?", Ryou asked, blinking up at Bakura curiously. The older one smiled down slightly at his love, petting the boy's cheek softly.  
  
"To kill yourself, you have to cut your veins open vertically. If you make a horizontal line around your wrist, the cut itself stops the blood from flowing after a while. You can lose enough blood to pass out, but certainly not enough to die. . . the blood would dry on the cut soon after."  
  
"There were cases where a person died because of horizontal cuts. . . ", Isis stated worriedly. Bakura nodded.  
  
"Of course. But you seem to forget that in these cases there weren't just two or three cuts, but the whole wrist slashed open in one large wound. That Anzu didn't use her weapon to commit suicide tells me that she didn't want to die."  
  
The top thief wiped Ryou's remaining tears away from creamy cheeks when they stopped. "Can I. . . see her?", the smaller one asked quietly. It was perfectly clear for him that he couldn't really –see- her, but her presence would help him greatly.  
  
"Yes, you can.", Bakura replied, picking the boy up bridal style before turning to Isis. "Also, I need your help about something. . . just to make something sure."  
  
A few minutes later, Bakura had placed Ryou on the chair he formerly was sitting on himself, standing behind him with one hand on the boy's head, petting the snowy hair softly, while Isis sat on another chair, typing furiously. Her calm eyes widened when she stopped, staring at the screen.  
  
"So?", Bakura softly interrupted the silence. Since the recovering chamber had stopped working, Anzu's motionless and unconscious body floated freely in the blue-ish water, an oxygen mask placed over her face, revealing only her closed eyes and leaving her breathing calmly. Obviously, she only slept now. Ryou had placed a hand on the warm glass, now turning to Isis, as did Bakura.  
  
"You were right.", she said, leaning back and exhaling slowly.  
  
"So there is more than. . . one life in there."  
  
Isis nodded. "It's true. Anzu is pregnant." Ryou's eyes widened. "Anzu's going to get a baby?"  
  
"That is the meaning of being pregnant, Ryou-chan."  
  
"But. . . who's the dad?"  
  
Bakura closed his eyes briefly and opened them again as he had turned to Anzu; an almost sad expression deep within them. "If we only knew. . . "  
  
"There's a way to find out you know."  
  
". . . !"  
  
"OH come on, Bakura, didn't you know that? Even before Egypt was destroyed you could tell who the father of a child was. If you had both the child's and the assumedly father's DNA . . . you can get it through saliva, for example. Or blood."  
  
"Well we don't even –have- an assumed father, so where to get DNA?"  
  
Isis sighed deeply and shook her head. "Did I raise you that dumb. . ?" Bakura pouted. The woman smiled softly at him, then continued speaking.  
  
"We got a large data base in here. Every single person from Japan is added in there, with their names, home cities, and stuff like that. Also, with DNA specimen and pictures. Some important people from other countries as well, and certainly everyone anyone of us knows. Trust me, I can find out who made Anzu attempt suicide."  
  
"Good", replied Bakura grimly. "Then find out, and I will kill whoever it is."  
  
A beeping sound echoed in the room. All three of them turned to the computer to see if something was wrong, maybe with the recovering chamber; but when Bakura lifted his left arm, his wrist watch blinked and the monitor bedded in it slowly extended. The albino frowned. . . what did Shizuka want now? She was the one contacting him through this the most. Couldn't she just make a phone call. . . ?  
  
Bakura's mind was wiped blank when the screen flickered and Yami's exhausted face appeared. His supposed-to-be enemy had dark rings from lack of sleep under his eyes, the golden bangs hung into the overly pale face messier than anytime else Bakura had seen it. The albino could tell Yami was at the edge of tears.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Bakura. . .there's something not right. . .with Yuugi."  
  
*~*  
  
Muhahahaha. . . err. . . sorry. ^^" 


	10. More secrets

Hey guys, sorry I took so long to update! Since my whole class missed three months at school, we have to catch up a lot of stuff, because the year ends soon ands we have exams to come up! I don't really have much time at the computer, because I'm sleeping or studying all the time. I try to keep updating fast, though. It's Mariku's turn to do the reviews.  
  
Mariku: Noooo. . .  
  
Voice: Go ahead dear. Or else I will use your deck against you   
  
Mariku: Damn -- Anyways.  
  
To Pork Steak the Grande: Wow, you really got her frantic. V-chan jumped around and around grinning like me -- She loves your stories you know. I'm supposed to thank you thousand times. But I won't sniggers Muhahahahaha.. . anyways. cough  
  
To snow-shadow-wolf: Hey, don't worry! She needs to get back onto the ground anyways!  
  
Voice: You're mean, Mariku. . .  
  
Mariku: I know. Muhahahaha.  
  
To Inverse-chan: She's evil, ne? Sometimes. That's why she does things like this. But Ryou will be alright, and no, he's not going to die.  
  
To magicianofblackchaos23: That's her darn special trick to keep her reviewers. If her chapters would be longer, there would be less people to review V-chan says that at last. . . I don't know it's true. And I don't care.  
  
To Pocketfirefairy: sniggers Frantic mortals. . . she updates as fast as she can.  
  
To Anime Crazed: Fling. . with. . me? blushes Erm. . .  
  
Anzu:   
  
Mariku: oO  
  
To Aman-chan: Weeeeell. Seems like your hikari still is out of it. Muhahahahahaha. See, Bakura isn't dense, but he was shocked at the time, so. . . his brain didn't work right.  
  
To Fluffy: Yeah well. . . it's right that the dam Pharaoh first was duelling Seto, and now duelling me. Ha, he doesn't stand a chance. Anyways. You need to know who's the third and fourth best duellist, ne? So Seto and Joey duelled, and guess what, Seto won. Surprise, surprise. But that comic strip sounds like. . . fun. . . insane grin  
  
That was it, I guess. . . phew.  
  
Voice: Yeah, thanks for scaring and mocking my reviewers --  
  
Mariku: Anytime   
  
Normal POV  
  
Bakura silently sat in the back of the helicopter that brought him to his once worst enemy's mansion. Greeted by the skyline in front of the coast, he rolled his eyes, glaring out at the rising sun which painted the sky soft pink and grey, with the liquid golden ball in the east. It was a rather nice sight, actually. . . but the albino didn't care about that. He held his lover in his lap, who was fast asleep, stroking the boy's soft hair gently. When Bakura looked down, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Ryou curled within his arms, the angelic face half nestled in the folds of Bakura's loose fitting shirt, the morning sun casting a soft glow on the pale skin and panting the white hair soft pink and orange.  
  
The taller one admired the sight of the sky and hair painting yet hated it; because Ryou couldn't see its beauty. The teen still was blinded by the powerful poison the chimera's claws injected into him. Also, his legs gave in lately every now and then, and Bakura was afraid that this could be the paralyze effect Mariku had spoke about. Hot, white hate welled up inside him, along with confusion and depression. What had changed his best friend so much? And had Kaiba known about it, and made Ryou his partner in stealing already before Mariku had died?  
  
It wasn't fair. Bakura knew, he would've given his own eyesight, his own consciousness, even his own life to save the boy's; but Mariku seemed to have known it as well, and took his most beloved person from him slowly. Also, Bakura wondered what had happened to Malik. Ever since Mariku had shown up, the blonde teen was gone, and the albino guessed Mariku had kidnapped him.  
  
Bakura felt Ryou stir within his arms and looked down, not wanting to miss the precious sight of his love being on the narrow rim between slumber and consciousness. . . it was always so cute to watch. Now, Ryou's hazy green eyes fluttered open, his lids fell back down halfway, and he yawned cutely, snuggling into the warmth that was Bakura's body when he rubbed his left eye with his fist. The older one smiled softly, planting a kiss on the younger one's forehead and tightened the embrace. A bright yet sleepy smile greeted him as Ryou seemed to know exactly where Bakura was.  
  
"Good morning love"  
  
"Morning, 'Kura. . . "Another yawn. Chuckling, Bakura brushed some bangs out of Ryou's face in a loving gesture of affection, and the boy nuzzled his hand.  
  
"Did you sleep well?"  
  
Ryou nodded. "Yeah. I dreamt of you."  
  
"Well that certainly was a good dream then."  
  
"Cocky!", the boy giggled, reaching up to cup Bakura's face in his hands, trailing his soft fingertips over his older lover's face. Bakura smiled sadly; that was exactly how blind people 'saw'. Placing a soft kiss on the teen's lips, he mumbled softly to him.  
  
"I'm sure you're gonna be okay. . . "  
  
"I'm okay as long as I'm with you!"  
  
Bakura opened his mouth to say something when the helicopter lost height. Apparently they had arrived. Smoothening out the smaller one's hair, causing another giggle to escape, Bakura prepared to meet Yami. He didn't quite trust him yet, and he knew he would never trust him fully.  
  
The morning air was almost chilling when they got out of the helicopter, causing Ryou to shiver and cuddle against Bakura's side who was leading him anyway and now put an arm around the small waist. The rotating blades stilled slowly, the wind tousling the albino boys' hair. At the front door, Yami awaited them. He looked more tired than he had when his emergency call arrived Bakura, the tri-coloured hair completely un-styled and tousled, and his chemise was buttoned up wrong.  
  
"I'm glad you could come that fast. . . "  
  
"I'm not here freely, Yami. Isis begged me to."  
  
"I know. . . I guessed."  
  
Yami's gaze fell upon Ryou, and the boy shivered, feeling it like needles. Bakura pulled him closer as if to protect him, but Yami was tired of rivalry games and waved a hand slightly.  
  
"Please, come in."  
  
As they followed Yami inside, Bakura got nervous. "Why did you call me by all people?"  
  
"I didn't know who to call else. . . ", Yami nearly whispered, his head already hanging low. Bakura stayed silent. He didn't mean to inflict more pain than Yami already was in. Soon, they arrived at a wooden door which Yami opened silently and entered; a gasp was all was heard.  
  
Bakura held Ryou close when they made their way over to the giant bed the small frame was laying in. Yuugi's face was almost grey, cold sweat dampened his forehead and he was panting in his sleep. Apparently, he had difficulties with breathing. Ryou stepped closer, taking a seat on the side of the bed, furrowing his delicate brows in worry.  
  
"He's burning. . . "  
  
Yami sat down on the edge of the bed, head hanging in defeat and eyes watering at the sight of his precious Yuugi. Bakura crossed his arms.  
  
"I guess, it is your turn now to lose someone important.", he stated, his voice much softer than he had intended to; but it made no difference, the effect on Yami was the same. He flinched, violently.  
  
"I guess. . . "  
  
"Rubbish.", Ryou's soft voice interrupted. "We can't let him die. We just. . . can't. . . "  
  
"I wasn't going to let anyone else die as well. But I couldn't save them from his wrath.", Bakura grumbled, glaring at Yami, who didn't even dare to look up. Seeing the cruel boy broken, at the edge of tears, let something rise within Bakura's chest. . . joy? Satisfaction? Hate? . . Pity?  
  
"Then, we have to take him home.", the albino grumbled reluctantly, earning himself a thankful glance from Yami. Ryou smiled.  
  
Isis typed feverishly. Anzu still was unconscious, but she didn't float within the recovering chamber anymore and was lying on a narrow bed, a blanket over her body and her arm connected with the computer through a wire. Since it was about 6.30a.m., Isis worked in complete silence, the humming of the computer and the clicking, even sounds of her typing the only sounds there were. After Shizuka had calmed Seto down, they had gone to bed again, Seto fast asleep from exhaustion. Bakura and Ryou had taken off to Yami's after she begged Bakura for at least fifteen minutes, and Malik. . . well, Malik was gone too.  
  
Isis bit her lip, counting down when the computer showed her the downloading bar. Fifteen percent. Anzu's right hand twitched softly, the soft rustling of the blanket letting Isis' overtired nerves jolt. She looked towards the girl, but the cerulean eyes were still closed, the chest still moving slowly. Thirty percent. In about a minute she would see the image of the man that was the father of Anzu's unborn child. The woman sat back, eyes closing and exhaling slowly. No sign of any message Bakura or Malik could've sent. . . Fifty percent.  
  
She sighed, fixing her eyes to the girl again. The eyelids fluttered softly as if Anzu was dreaming, and her lips parted to let a soft gasp escape. Apparently, she was waking up. Seventy percent. Isis rubbed her eyes which threatened to close for a dreamless, deep sleep, but she forced herself to stay awake. This was reality, no silly dream of a young girl who wanted to be something special; like she had been herself when she had been younger. Now she felt like someone special. But it didn't matter, she still was sick from worry over both her brothers, one back from death, the other disappeared, worried about Anzu, who had attempted suicide just about two hours ago, worried about Ryou, who had been poisoned to suffer. Ninety- five. . . Ninety-seven. . . Ninety-nine. . .  
  
Isis stared blankly at the face of a handsome young man when the computer beeped and popped open a new window with the information of the specimen.  
  
And Anzu awoke with a soft gasp, staring at the ceiling above her.  
  
Within an instant, the older woman was next to her, gently disconnecting her and rubbing her hand with a thumb.  
  
"How are you feeling, Anzu?"  
  
"Isis. . . ?"  
  
"Yes. You had us quite shocked, you know."  
  
Anzu smiled a soft, sad smile, sat up and gladly accepted Isis' embrace.  
  
"Tell me, Anzu-chan. . . did you have a dream within the last months? A special one?", Isis asked softly, not letting go of the girl who seemed so incredibly frail at the moment.  
  
"Uhm. . . "  
  
"Come on. Tell me, please."  
  
And Anzu told her. Told her about ghost-like caresses, kisses, touches, and ecstasy. And Isis nodded.  
  
"I was afraid you would say this. . . "  
  
Anzu cocked her head, wincing when a sharp headache shot through her temples. Isis made her lay down again, took one of her hands and placed them over her abdomen.  
  
"It wasn't a dream, Anzu."  
  
Cerulean blue eyes widened. "What?"  
  
"You're pregnant. One and a half month pregnant. . . with Mariku's child."  
  
DundundunDUN!!! 


	11. Here without you

Woohoo! Hey guys! I'm BACK! Yay! I'm sorry for not updating so long, I had kinda trouble here. . and a friend was visiting me for a while. I hope you all forgive me –bows- Since I want this chapter to be updated the sooner the better, I'm only thanking you all for your review power that makes me so so happy. –nods- Next time, Bakura will do the replies, so please review because he will be more pissed if there are more reviews to answer! Thankies!!  
  
Mariku restlessly paced around the room, followed by Malik's slightly dumb gaze. The boy had been like this since he had convinced him to come with him, and Mariku found it quite unnerving. His younger brother currently sat on the bed cross-legged, elbows on his knees. And watching him. Staring at him. Burning a hole into his back.  
  
"Stop it already!!"  
  
Malik blinked. Once, twice. He didn't stop staring though. Mariku sighed, clearly annoyed, and rubbed his temples. Thoughts crossed his mind, dark, bloody, murderous ones, interrupted by sensations of care and love, which he put away quickly. He wasn't like that anymore. And though he thought of the girl without a break. . .  
  
It wasn't his fault. It never would be his fault. It was the girl's fault, yes, that was it. Why couldn't she care for her body, why didn't she use something against it? A small traitorous part of mind whispered to him.  
  
_Because she never had someone to love since you were gone._  
  
Mariku sighed. He still thought of the girl with affection and care, remembered their fun times, he even remembered the kiss he had given her in his last seconds of life. It had tasted sweet, no doubt in that, and he had craved for more when he was put into this dark place for what seemed to be decades, craved for her laugh, her voice, her eyes, her body. And he had taken it when he came back. He had wanted to make it painful, so she never would forget whom she belonged to, but somehow, the traitorous mind part knew she wouldn't forget it alright, though he hadn't been rough with her at all. He missed her.  
  
A hundred days had made me older, since the last time I had seen your pretty face  
  
The dark one knew, she missed him too, but she would be protected. She, and the child as well. It wasn't possible for him to have children. Deep within, he still cared for the girl's well-being, and at her age she shouldn't be mother to a child who would never meet its father. He even cared for the child. What would it be, a boy? Looking like him? Or a girl, a Chibi-fied Anzu? Ah, how well he remembered the time Malik, Ryou, Shizuka and Yuugi had been transformed into children by his former mistress, the goddess Anuket, how soft Anzu's eyes had been when she had held Ryou or Malik or Shizuka, how gentle her arms had wrapped around small, delicate frames, how. . . beautiful she would be as a mother, with her own child in her arms. Their own child. But he couldn't have that.  
  
A hundred lives have made me colder, and I don't think I can look at this the same  
  
Kidnapping his younger brother while his older sister was in a trance and everyone fussed around Ryou had sounded like a good plan to him; but without the support of his friends and not knowing how Ryou was, the young Egyptian had been quite apathic ever since. Mariku was sorry about that, yes, but he banned the brooding sensations from his mind and body to never feel them again. It hadn't been right that he had talked to Bakura, neither that he had kissed him; he was sure the other male took it as the silent, forceful warning it was, but anyway! He had a mission to complete! He had to take all the items back. Mariku still cursed Seto for sending them to Egypt when he was sure no one would listen to his thoughts; if Seto hadn't been so fond of these cursed items, he would still be alive, happily married maybe.  
  
I'm here without you baby, but just until I lone my lonely mind, I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time. . .   
  
That was right, he dreamt about her. About the stunning blue eyes Bakura was allowed to look into, the soft brown locks that Ryou was allowed to touch when she hugged the boy, about her body he knew Yami had lusted after more than once. It made him furious. It made him insane. He wouldn't let them look, touch, lust. She was his. His and his alone. They would understand that soon. But first, he had to take care of her; she wasn't supposed to suffer with a child when this child couldn't have him as a father. Mariku wouldn't allow another one to take care of it. It was the best if the child died before it was born.  
  
I'm here without you baby, but you're still with me in my dreams; And tonight girl, it's only you and me  
  
That sounded like a plan. He would take care of it this very night.  
  
Somewhere else, Bakura was holding an exhausted Ryou bridal style in his arms and kicked the door open, while Yami followed behind him with Yuugi being held in the same position as the other lighter boy, just that the little one was wrapped into several blankets, sweating and shivering all the same and breathing hard and shallow. Bakura led Yami upstairs to where the bedrooms were, laid Ryou down on his own bed and motioned the other male to bring Yuugi to the bed within Ryou's room, deciding that he could watch his love sleep later, no matter how cute the white-haired teen looked. After tucking the still very pale boy in as well, Bakura and Yami made their way downstairs again, either of them silent, not speaking a word. Bakura longed to see Isis, for she had been trained as a healer back when their parents still lived, and though her training was only halfway completed, she read a lot of books about it still. And Ryou had promised Yami that Yuugi would be okay; Bakura wasn't going to prove his boyfriend a liar. Also, he wanted to check on Anzu. He hadn't talked to Yami much, and he had spared out the fact that the girl had tried to kill herself and that she was pregnant, since Yami's interest in Anzu wasn't the best anymore. All he could do was kill, Bakura mused to himself, and now he got his own boyfriend ill as well. To the albino, everything was Yami's fault, of course.  
  
They arrived at the computer room, where they found Anzu sitting on the bench she had been laying before, with Isis standing in front of her, hugging the younger girl close, a soft tearstained cheek on the crook of her shoulder where it met her upper body, arms around Anzu who was trembling and sniffling, averting her eyes, while the older woman petted her back soothingly. To tell the truth, it broke Bakura's heart. He hissed in fury, ready to kill anyone who did that to her; he hadn't seen the girl like that for a long time.  
  
Yami just stared. Stared at the bit of reddened cheek he could see, at the glittering wetness on the soft flesh, at the shaking body, the bandaged lower arms. A single stirring reached his mind, neither a sensation nor a thought, a mix maybe between guilt and sympathy. Bakura coughed softly, causing Isis to look up with saddened eyes. Stroking Anzu's damp hair, she whispered:  
  
"She didn't take it too well. . . "  
  
Louder, but still gentle and low, she spoke to the girl.  
  
"Anzu-chan, I have to talk to Bakura and Yami-san. Do you think you'll be able to go and look after Ryou-chan a while?"  
  
Slowly, the girl nodded, untangled herself from the woman's protective embrace, and strode past the two men quickly, pausing a second or two to peck Bakura on the cheek; the white-haired one wrapped an arm around her waist briefly, giving her a hug, while Yami still stared. Then she was gone. Isis sighed heavily, sinking back onto a chair, and looked up at them.  
  
"What's the matter with her. . . ?", Yami's deep voice softly interrupted the silence. Bakura glared at him and opened his mouth to snap at him, but Isis held up a hand.  
  
"It's okay, Bakura. You see, Anzu attempted suicide last night."  
  
Yami was silent, averting his eyes from Isis. Somehow, the feeling of being guilty didn't leave him.  
  
"She's pregnant."  
  
Now deep crimson-violet settle don her, wide and startled. "What?"  
  
"You heard me. Anzu is going to be a mother."  
  
"Did you find out who the father is already?", Bakura asked calmly, trying to suppress the burning hate coursing through him.  
  
Isis nodded.  
  
Anzu wiped brown bangs away from her still slightly red eyes while she climbed up the stairs of the huge mansion. No sign of Shizuka or Seto anywhere; Anzu supposed the girl had taken Seto out to calm him down. Isis had told her the CEO had been pretty out of it when he found her within the bathroom all bloody. Not funny, not the slightest. . .  
  
Looking out of the window, Anzu noticed that it was dusking already. Nightfall. It came early around this time of the year. From there, she could see to the backyard's edge; and she could see the grave of her beloved a bit within the mist that was coming down. It was rather creepy, and it filled Anzu with both fear and sadness, for she knew she could never be with him, though he had to be back. And it was frightening that he was a bit like a zombie, for Anzu never had liked those creatures. Thinking about it made her shiver, but suddenly her eyes fixed on something solid, a figure that filled her heart with recognizing and her mind with numb fear. There was something glittering softly out to her, calling her to it with a special familiarity. . .  
  
Anzu shook her head and tore her gaze away from it, walking further to Bakura's bedroom where she found Ryou on the bed, humming contentedly to himself. She couldn't suppress a smile; that kid really was a sunshine. No matter that he was blind and ill he could be happy. The girl sat down on the edge of the bed, wrinkling her nose a bit at the piles of clothes that lay around the room (Bakura never was someone to tidy up) and brushed a few bangs out of Ryou's face, making him jump slightly.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
"Just me. . . "  
  
"Anzu-chan!!"  
  
Ryou sat up and wrapped his arms around Anzu unseeing; he proceeded to hug her head to his neck, cuddling his cheek into her hair. "I was so worried about you!!"  
  
"Not as much as I had been worried about you, Ryou. . . and still am."  
  
Ryou let go of her, but stayed near her, and stared up at her with large, hazy eyes.  
  
"Why did you do that. . ?", he asked softly. Anzu sighed.  
  
"Ryou, I. . . I'm pregnant."  
  
The boy blinked, mouth agape, before he grinned and squealed. "Cool!! What's it gonna be? A boy or a girl? How will you name him or her?"  
  
The girl was quite taken aback from his enthusiasm; she never looked at it that way.  
  
"Uh, I don't know. . . "  
  
"Can I be his godfather? Pleaaase? I'll baby sit him! I'd love to!"  
  
Anzu had to chuckle. "Okay, if you want to."  
  
"Cool!!" And he hugged her again. "Ano. . . who's the dad?" Tears came to Anzu's eyes again. "It's. . . it's Mariku."  
  
Later that night Anzu had tucked Ryou in, giving him a kiss on the forehead and smiled an 'Arigatou' at him when he whispered that she'd make a good mother. Feeling oddly warm and content on the inside, the girl silently closed the door, hearing Bakura and Yami argue in Ryou's bedroom and Isis scolding them, but she decided not to disturb them and quietly walked outside. The mist still was there, thick and white, eerie within the pale moonlight. Anzu decided to pay Mariku's grave a visit and barely noticed that she was wearing only one of Isis' white linen robes which the woman had decided were the comfiest clothes for the unconscious girl, and was shoeless. The grass felt cool and wet between her feet, but it wasn't as cold as Anzu had expected it.  
  
A slight feeling of being followed rose within her chest, but she abandoned it as an urge of her paranoia to come through, and stood there in front of the silent grave a long time. The full moon rose higher into the sky, stars glittering all around it, with a few long, slim shaped clouds around as well. All in one it was a beautiful night. Unconsciously, she started humming the song she had picked up from Ryou earlier.  
  
The miles just keep rolling as the people leave their way to say hello  
  
I've heard this life is overrated, but I hope it gets better as we go  
  
I'm here without you baby, I think about you baby, and I dream about you baby  
  
I'm here without you baby, you're still with me in my dreams. . .   
  
"And tonight, it's only you and me. . "Without noticing, Anzu had started singing softly to the grave. The wind picked up, brushing through her hair and robe, and she closed her eyes, sighing deeply;  
  
When she opened them again, he was there. Eyes wide, mouth forming a small, perfect 'o', she stared at him, his unruly hair, shoulders, chest, and finally into his face, where a soft smirk was shown and his eyes glittered darkly.  
  
"Mariku. . . "  
  
"You look marvellous tonight."  
  
His voice was a soft purr while hers was just a whimper, telling from tears and cold lonely nights and days.  
  
"You. . . you're back. . . "  
  
"You didn't think I would ever leave you, did you?", he said, stepping closer until their bodies were mere inches apart and one of his hands rested on her cheek, caressing it.  
  
"Did you cry, love?"  
  
Anzu shook her head; then he nodded. "I did.", she admitted, lowering her head. Mariku lifted her chin softly.  
  
"Because of me?"  
  
"Because of. . . everything."  
  
"You won't have to cry anymore. I'm here now." With that, his arms encircled her waist, pulling her close until she sighed in contentment and whimpered softly at the pain when her sore body touched his. She never saw the smirk widen.  
  
The only thing she saw and felt was how he was ripped away from her, the enchanted moment being ripped apart as well as the couple, when a pure energy arrow tore its way into his shoulder. Mariku hissed like a wounded wild cat, eyes glowering dangerously, and crouched a bit, holding his shoulder. Anzu ripped her shocked gaze away from her injured once, or would be boyfriend, to see who had been disturbing; saving her.  
  
A flash of pure white and dangerously flashing crimson eyes, showing off solemn hatred, like an angel of death and revenge perfectly fitting into the scenery, holding an energy crossbow with one hand. And behind him, a slightly smaller male, observing in wonder and amazement as Bakura's arrow hit Mariku without injuring Anzu; and the girl's fury flared.  
  
Yami. Crashing her life to pieces once again.  
  



	12. Wrath of the Lovers

Gods, I'm so terribly sorry about not updating so long! What an authoress am I, leaving my readers with suspense so damn long. . . cries Forgive me! Evil school made me do it!! Anyways...enjoy.   
  
Anzu stared at the two men standing in front of her, just a few meters away. Impossible. No. _Way_. Bakura didn't just shoot an energy arrow at Mariku. _Did he_?  
  
Obviously, he did. Evenly hard breathing, the white-haired one stared back at Anzu, not quite getting what he just did, while Yami lowered his eyes onto Mariku, who was half-laying on the ground, clutching his shoulder. He actually bled, Yami noticed. So the body couldn't be the one of a zombie. It was a living, breathing, reacting body. Like his, or Bakura's, or Anzu's. . .  
  
The girl raised her arms and slowly backed away, until she was at Mariku's side, and kneeled down. The supposed-to-be-dead man looked rather confused, at his shoulder, at Bakura, at Yami, and at Anzu at last, his eyes softening slightly, unnoticed by everyone. Bakura raised the particularly powerful weapon again as the blonde raised his hand and brushed a strand of soft brown hair behind Anzu's ear while she was observing his shoulder.  
  
"If I wouldn't know better. . . ", Yami started in a whisper, "I would say Mariku's still in love with her."  
  
"There's no way he can be.", Bakura muttered back, seemingly annoyed. "He's dead, for Ra's sake! He can't love!"  
  
Both of them watched the scene, which actually was quite cute if you didn't mention the fact that the man was a thief, a killer, and all in once an awful person, and the girl an assassin and just had had a breakdown. Still Mariku was trailing his tanned fingers over Anzu's pale cheek softly, causing her to smile and lean into the touch; and causing Bakura to snarl angrily and shoot again. This time, Mariku dodged it, diving to the left, taking Anzu with him.  
  
"What the hell is _wrong_ with you?!", the girl all but roared at the albino, cerulean eyes blazing with an unearthly fire.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing!", Bakura roared right back. The two other males both stared at them as if they were dangerous, what, truth to be told, they were. Anzu was on her feet again, standing up against the taller man, glaring. A similar glare answered her. Yami was taken aback; he almost could see the sparks flying, threatening to start a fire that could devour them all and burn them to ashes; just because Bakura and Anzu were glaring daggers at each other.  
  
"I have no idea what you are talking about!"  
  
"So, don't you? Stupid moron!"  
  
"Stop it _this_ instant!"  
  
"Make me!"  
  
"_Watch me!!"_  
  
"Guys. . . "  
  
_"WHAT?!",_ both of them snapped at the tri-colour haired man, who eeped very un-Yami-like and backed away a bit.  
  
"Err. . . just wanted to make sure, that. . you know, Mariku's gone."  
  
"WHAAAAA-?!"  
  
"I can't believe it! That's ALL your fault!", Anzu screamed at Bakura, who looked dumbfound, and lowered the weapon he was clutching.  
  
"Anzu, I. . "  
  
"Stop it! I don't want to hear it! Just leave me _alone_!", she snapped, tears threatening to fall.  
  
"I really didn't want to. . "  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
The brunette cried by now, and pushed past him to storm into the mansion again, while Bakura could do nothing but to watch her leave.  
  
"Well, can you feel the love tonight."  
  
"Shut the hell up, Yami."

* * *

Isis, who had been staying at Yuugi's side, was confused. The brown-haired girl had just stormed into the room, crying again, and collapsed onto her knees. The older woman slowly stood, careful not to wake up the slumbering boy on the bed, and made her way over to her, dropping onto her knees as well and wrapping her arms around Anzu.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Anzu continued crying, into Isis' shoulder now. The older female felt a vision coming; a tingling sensation in the back of her mind, telling her that Anuket had something to show. . but she couldn't let her guards down in front of Anzu, could she? Isis sighed, rocking the crying one back and forth gently, humming a soft tune as she did so. Anzu sniffed and raised her head, smiling sadly.  
  
"You would be a much better mother than me."  
  
"Don't fool yourself. The gods wouldn't have granted you this gift if you weren't ready for it."  
  
"I saw him earlier, Isis. . . "  
  
"Isn't that something to celebrate rather than to cry about?", Isis asked softly.  
  
"Bakura shot him."  
  
". . . oh."  
  
The dry, surprised comment caused Anzu to giggle lightly. "Yep. But still, I saw him."  
  
"You know, Anzu-chan. . . ", Isis said, lifting the younger one's chin and smiling at her slightly, "If I know my brother, and I do, he'll be a wonderful father. . . but I'm not quite sure if that person is my brother."  
  
The girl blinked. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Anuket-sama granted me a vision of the coming events. . . and I can tell you,. Mariku is going to kill you rather than let you give birth to his child."  
  
Anzu's eyes went wide. "So you. . . you don't want me to be happy as well. . . you're just like Bakura!"  
  
"No, Anzu, please wait. . . _damn it."_  
  
And that was the first time for years that Isis allowed herself to cuss.

* * *

Somewhere else, said blonde cussed as well, clutching his shoulder that just didn't want to stop bleeding. Large lavender eyes watched him.  
  
"You pace again, 'Nii-sama. Something the matter? What's going on?"  
  
"Stop bugging me."  
  
Malik sniffed. "I'll go home if you don't want me here!"  
  
At that, Mariku turned and approached his younger brother, kneeling down in front of him as the smaller was sitting on the large bed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Malik-chan."  
  
Said boy smiled brightly. "It's okay! So, did you go to see Anzu-chan today?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is she alright? How is Ryou? And Isis?"  
  
Mariku sighed, shaking his head; he hadn't managed to tell his younger brother the truth by now. Despite his denial, he really did care.  
  
"Ryou is. . well. . . diseased."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"See. . . he's being poisoned." "Who would do such a thing?", Malik cried hysterically, jumping up and pacing himself now. "He's so pure. . he's too innocent! How did he deserve something like this?"  
  
A sharp pain jolted through Mariku's heart. Malik was right, Ryou had nothing to do with his revenge. . why did he want revenge anyway. . ? Everything seemed to hazy. Truth to be told, he really hadn't had a reason. . .  
  
Another pain floated through him, being sent from the back of his neck, jolting through his head like voltage into his forehead, causing him to nearly black out. Then, reason weren't needed anymore. . . all what mattered, was his master's wish. .  
  
". . and anyways, Ryou. . . "  
  
"Shut _up_ already!"  
  
Malik looked up, startled, only to be met with a hard slap that threw his head to the side. All the boy could do was stare at his older brother in shock, an angry red mark forming beneath his covering hand on the soft cheek of his. . .  
  
Mariku left the room.  
  
All Malik heard before the world went black around him, was a key that was turned.  
  
He was locked in.


	13. Love me tender

I'm such a drama queen -- Well, anyways, I was in Britain for a week! It was kinda cool, though some British people wanted to beat us up o.O Strange people, if you ask me. Well. Time for Replies again! 'Kura?  
  
Bakura: No way in hell.  
  
Voice: Pleaaaaase?  
  
Bakura: Oh stop the hikari-chibi-eyes. . . okay I'll do it.  
  
Voice: Works every time   
  
Bakura: 'Kay. Let's see.  
  
To Sugar-Kat: Well it seems your just plain lazy. She had a good time in Britain though. -.-  
  
Voice: . Don't you insult my yami!!  
  
Bakura: I'm sorry, okay? Geez. . .  
  
To magicianofblackchaos23: Well. . . I'm speechless too.  
  
To Inverse-chan: I'd like to correct you. Mariku IS crazy. Tch. But V-chan tried and wanted to make people like him again. . .  
  
To God: Tunnel. . . diggers. Right. Do tell, d'you dig with a spoon as in all those clichés? Man, when I was a tomb robber in Egypt I-  
  
Voice: No one wants to hear it again, Bakura.  
  
Bakura: -grumbles-  
  
To snow-shadow-wolf: Your euphoria's fading! Yay! And, as V-chan muttered along, Anzu's being not entirely a main character in here, but she's quite important for the plot. There.  
  
To Bakurasgirl1989: I can't remember having a girl but. . . anyways. Why Mariku's mean to Malik? Hadn't you ever have one of those moments when everything pisses you off? That nutcase certainly had one. .  
  
To El: Unfortunately, Anzu's got guns already. . . she even sleeps with them stuck under her pillow.  
  
Anzu: HEY!  
  
Bakura: Eep. . .  
  
Voice: Oh great. -.-() I hope no one does hate me now because of your rambling. Anyways! Flowers for the Cleaning Lady's Shrine! And more fluff in this chapter!!  
  
Ryou was in a light slumber when the door creaked open silently. He didn't notice when a figure stepped into the room without a sound and sauntered over to the bed the boy currently was sleeping in. An exhausted sigh, a soft shift, and someone sat down on the edge of the bed. Ryou felt watched, but he didn't bother; all that mattered was the sweet, innocent dream he had right now involving Bakura and him. A slightly cold hand brushed the strands away from his forehead as moonlight washed over him. Ryou knew this kind of touch, it was loving, gentle, slightly unsure. . . he loved it, craved it, missed it so much he wanted to scream as the hand pulled away again. Slowly, he rolled onto his side, nestling against the warm body sitting there.  
  
"'Kura. . . "  
  
The boy felt himself being lifted up and placed on an all too familiar lap, leaning against a muscular chest, surrounded by his lover's beloved scent. He nuzzled his cheek into the soft fabric of the shirt the person was wearing.  
  
"I'm here, little one.", came his love's deep, soothing voice from somewhere out of the shadows. Ryou knew, even if he would open his eyes, he wouldn't be able to see Bakura, which he found kinda sad; so he left them closed, content within Bakura's embrace.  
  
"I heard yells from outside. . . "  
  
"I'm sorry, love."  
  
"That was Anzu yelling, wasn't she?"  
  
"Yes, love."  
  
"Why did she yell?"  
  
"Because she was angry with me."  
  
Ryou lifted his head to rest his forehead in the crook of the older one's neck, gently kissing the skin there once, emitting a low purr. "What did you do to her?"  
  
Bakura was silent for a moment. Then, he nuzzled his face into Ryou's hair, inhaling deeply and exhaled with a sigh again. "I guess I shot an arrow right through her heart.", he stated softly. Ryou knew that Bakura couldn't ever hurt Anzu physically, so he supposed he had hurt her feelings really bad; but then again, he hadn't known Bakura was able to do that either.  
  
"Ryou?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Open your eyes."  
  
The boy did what he was told and blinked a few times before staring blankly up at Bakura. He almost could feel his boyfriend's heart breaking at the sight, but a now warmed up hand touched his porcelain cheek in a gentle caress. "You're beautiful."  
  
Bakura watched his young love smiling. "It's been a while since you told me that."  
  
"I know. . . I'm sorry."  
  
A short silence settled between them.  
  
"'Kura?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Kiss me."  
  
And the king of thieves fulfilled the boy's request all too happily. Kissing Ryou was something he never got tired of; but then again, why would he get tired of soft pliant lips working against his, with a sweet flavour to match? Bakura wanted to never leave the boy. He wanted to live with him by his side until they both grew old and they both could die together knowing they didn't waste a single moment. The older white-haired one knew, if Ryou had to die, so would he. Then again, whatever controlled Mariku, because this clearly wasn't his old friend himself, wouldn't let Bakura die to follow his love – just to have him suffer. He broke the kiss in need for air. And Ryou just smiled at him.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
The boy's eyes closed again as his body relaxed, a sigh escaping his soft lips.  
  
"I love you. . . "  
  
Bakura held the boy close.  
  
"I love you too.", he told the motionless body.

Yami, standing in the doorway the entire time unnoticed, sighed softly as he made his way to Ryou's room, where Yuugi currently was staying in. It seemed that the poison affected the small boy more; maybe because of his tending to get ill fast. As Yami sat on the edge of the bed, much like Bakura did, he ran his hand over Yuugi's forehead, feeling how hot and slightly clammy it was. At this moment, Yami felt as if his heart would break. This must be how Bakura had felt when he himself had killed this girl years ago that Bakura had been in love with. How Anzu must have felt at the same time, considering the girl had been like a sister to her. How everyone must've felt every time he had killed one of them. . .  
  
But regret was too late for him. He couldn't change the fate he chose, and he didn't want to. They hated him, and it was okay. When Kristin once rejected him, he felt angry; when Anzu did, he felt heartbroken; so he'd turned to the only person available for him.  
  
Yuugi, with his never ending crush on him.  
  
Who loved him despite everything he'd ever done.  
  
Who was too kind for his own good; much like Ryou was. Or Malik had been.  
  
And what had started as a substitute turned into deep love after all those years. Yami felt guilty for using Yuugi for all the time; for taking so long to notice he loved him as well. So maybe it was worth it, every single second of it. Every day, every week, every month of hate and fury. Every hour that he hated Bakura. Every minute he hated everyone in the world. The darkness that had been consuming his heart had lit up slowly. . . but it still did.  
  
Yami sighed again and calmly, gently caressed the boy's sweaty face, watching it scrunch up in what could be pain or nightmares as well, and finally pressed a kiss onto Yuugi's lips, not much more than a breeze, a brush of slightly rough yet velvety skin against surprisingly cold, silky ones. Deep in thought he rested his lips there, upon his beloved ones.  
  
_Flashback  
  
"Yami? Why are you upset?"  
  
"I am not."  
  
"Of course you are." A timid, soft little hand reached out to rest on his own, large purple eyes staring up at him worriedly.  
  
"What do you want.", Yami asked, in a tone that clearly said 'Go away and leave me the hell alone.' But the boy never did. Instead, he was quiet, watching Yami turn away, just to speak up again.  
  
"Yami, I. . . "  
  
Sighing in annoyance, the older teen stopped.  
  
"I love you."  
  
Complete silence. Then – "You do what?"  
  
"I love you, Yami."  
  
Yami knew, it took all of the courage the boy had to tell him that. On his lips formed a grin, a mischievous one. Why not take the boy when everyone else wasn't available?  
  
Flashback End  
_  
And slowly, step by step, Yuugi had taken over Yami's cold heart; just as in a fairytale. And step by step Yami had tried to break Yuugi's; but he had failed.  
  
_"I love you, Yami."  
  
"I know."  
  
That was all he ever said. Until Yuugi had been ill for the first time; and Yami had found himself being worried.  
  
"You know, Yami, I'll never leave you. . . I love you.", the boy had whispered sleepily before closing his eyes and resting.  
  
"I. . . I love you too."  
_  
Sadly, that time Yuugi didn't hear it, for he was asleep – and Yami's signs of affection came slow, and rare.  
  
"I love you. . . "  
  
"I love you too, Yami."  
  
"You should be asleep."  
  
"I will be, Yami-chan. . . lay with me?"  
  
And so, Yami spent his night at Yuugi's side, holding the boy close, sleeping peacefully for once.  
  
Yep, I know, it's short and sappy. . . the plot is being built Slowly. Forgive me for taking so long. Ja!  
  
V-chan


	14. Decisions to be made

Long time no update -- Evil writers block. Evil. Enjoy, and thanks for your reviews, everyone

A voice burst through the thick darkness like searing hot fire.  
  
"I swear, I'll kill you!"  
  
An amused chuckle followed. Silken, deep, dark, like desert nights.  
  
"You certainly can not kill me."  
  
"We'll see about that when I'm done with you!"  
  
The enraged voice belonged to a woman obviously. Two figures stood beside a well, on a clearing, the pale full moon hanging low in the sky. One was tall, sinister looking and male; the other was smaller, petite, female and trembling with rage.  
  
"How could you _do_ that?!", the woman shouted, delicate hands clenched in fists so tight her knuckles went white. "He wasn't supposed to come back! He was my protégé! You had no right to decide over him!" The linen dress flowed around her body as her brown eyes burned with flames of fury. "Now all hell broke lose!"  
  
"At least I'm in character.", the man chuckled.  
  
"You _jerk_!"  
  
By now, the man growled. "Don't you dare insulting a deity higher than yourself, Anuket."  
  
"Well, Seth, I'm only stating the obvious! Why, Ra damn? _Why_?"  
  
"Because! You can't make me tell you all my plans and plots! I could have left him to be judged by Osiris, and he would've been eaten by Am'mit for what he has done while he was alive!"  
  
"Oh yes? Whose chimaera was it who killed him in the first place?!"  
  
"It was his fault to disturb the rest of the pharaohs!"  
  
"I want you to bring his soul back to me! I don't care how, but you will!"  
  
She pointed an accusing finger at him, face pale and blushed at the same time. Seth smirked.  
  
"I will, don't worry. But after I have the souls of the other children as well; they are very precious."  
  
"You will not take them!"  
  
"Well, Anuki. . . ", Seth smirked, using the name Anuket had used for cover when she had been on earth, knowing perfectly well it would remind her of a certain blonde. "I suggest we let our chosen children fight against each other and see who wins. . . this way or the other, you will get Mariku's soul, but if you win, the other souls will be spared."  
  
Anuket sighed, closing her eyes briefly and looking back at the god of the desert again, her eyes now regretful.  
  
"I know I am not happy with this out coming. . . but you get your way. Very well. I will choose my child tonight."  
  
"Another condition, Anuket. The child must be close to my puppet. Choose either his sister, his best friend, or. . . his lover."  
  
With a last sinister smile, Seth vanished, and Anuket broke down, staring brokenly at the ground.  
  
"What have I done. . . "

Isis slept. Sweet, peaceful sleep for once, undisturbed, without any unpleasant dreams.  
  
She knew, she had to be at the realm of visions.  
  
Sighing, she looked around, waiting for her guardian goddess to appear. It was warm where she was, comfortable, like walking and sitting on clouds, dark warm clouds, in blissful darkness. The woman's cool eyes scanned the area, breaking through the wavering shadows like rays of light, like it always was; and she spotted a familiar figure in the distance, silhouetted, that came closer – but much slower than usually. Isis frowned. Anuket never walked at such a slow pace. It took her almost forever before she kneeled down in front of Isis.  
  
The black-haired woman felt strange around the goddess; Anuket looked like a teenager, not a bit aged since the last time she saw her, not since the time the goddess brought them back in time. Though, Isis felt like she was a mere child again, stunned in awe as she lifted a hand to touch and hold the long, loosely flowing robes of the deity. Gone was the Egyptian styled, tight fitting dress Anuket wore usually.  
  
"Isis. . . sweet child of mine, get up. I have got something to show you.", the young voice stated calmly, and Isis followed the orders. Getting up and walking a step behind Anuket. That was how Isis –and all children of the world possibly- imagined the gods. Anuket was at least twice as tall as Isis in here, a wonderfully beautiful creature. It didn't take long and they stood in front of a well. It was filled completely, and the surface of the silvery water was still . . . all Isis could see was herself, as in a mirror. Then, images began to swirl together, and the woman's mind puzzled them together slowly, until a decision was made.  
  
"I. . . I can't do it."  
  
"You don't have to, Isis. You raised him as if he was your own son, and your bond with him is stronger than anyone else's. But I need you to help me with my decision; either Bakura has to fight him, or Anzu. The one that looks up at him and loves him as a brother; or the one who loves him more than herself and carries his child.", Anuket said slowly. She knew, it was cruel to let Isis make this decision, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Seto sat on his bed; knees hugged to his chest, and stared into nothingness. Shizuka was gone, preparing some food, breakfast most probably. It was morning after all, he could see the soft rays of light out of the corner of his eye. The horrible night finally was gone. A day and a night since he had found the girl bloodied in the bathroom. A day and a night since Shizuka had to care for him like for a little child. A day and a night since he had seen anyone.  
  
He didn't even know if Anzu was alive; he didn't know how Ryou was; he didn't know Yami brought Yuugi here; he didn't know if Bakura had gone back to training or not.  
  
It killed him slowly. Not knowing something had always been terrible for him; and of course, being a genius, he just had to go insane. Seto wrapped his arms around his knees tighter, thinking of how ridiculous he had to look.  
  
"Seto?", a soft voice came from the doorway, then he could hear footsteps coming towards him and the door shut quietly.  
  
"Seto? Love, please talk to me.", Shizuka pleaded, setting down the tray with light food on the night table and sitting down next to him. Her soft, warm hand laid down onto his own, cold one. Seto flinched.  
  
"Oh come on, please. I brought you something to eat."  
  
The CEO didn't answer, but turned his head almost creepily slow to stare at his fiancée with empty eyes.  
  
"How. . . how. . . ?", he managed. Shizuka smiled, her light green eyes lighting up with a happy spark.  
  
"Anzu-chan's fine, love. Isis said, she was in a kind of depression; she's pregnant, Seto. Ryou is well, too, Bakura stayed with him all the time! And Yami-san is here, he brought Yuugi. . "  
  
Seto nodded. His fingers intertwined with hers, for he wasn't able to speak. His throat felt raw from crying and staying silent so long, though he was to embarrassed and too proud to admit it; this had been his first break-down after all. But seeing the girl he loved smile, smile at him, smiling because she could make him react when others couldn't warmed his heart. It would be cruel not to talk to her, and he glanced over at the tray for something to drink. Chuckling softly, a sound he barely ever heard from her, Shizuka reached over and placed a glass of water in Seto's trembling hand. He slowly took a sip, almost coughing it up again, but managed to force it down his throat. Once it was down, things went smoothly.  
  
Seto downed the entire bottle of water Shizuka had brought, ate all the food on the tray, and smiled at her when he was done.  
  
"Did you sleep last night, Seto?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then sleep now.", she smiled, wrapping her arms around his shoulders lovingly and pulled him down so his head laid on her shoulder while she laid down, and ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.  
  
"I love you, 'Zuka. . . "  
  
"I love you too, Seto."  
  
Plot! I got a plot! Yay! Well now, I let you decide. Should Bakura or Anzu fight Mariku? Please tell me, because I can't decide o.O See ya me hearties.


	15. You have to

The very next morning, Bakura was woken by an unusual gloomy Isis. Sure, the woman was stern most of the time, but this time, when the white haired man blinked up at her sleepily, his arms still full with a sleeping Ryou, she seemed to dwell.  
  
"I have to talk to you."  
  
Bakura grumpily looked at his alarm clock. "It's six thirty for Ra's sake. . ."  
  
"It is important. For both of you.", she replied, straightening up and letting her gaze caress Ryou briefly. Bakura frowned, looking down at his boyfriend as well, who slept peacefully, snuggled up to Bakura.  
  
"Do I have to wake him up?"  
  
"No. Just come with me."  
  
Bakura followed Isis outside, into the backyard, this destiny-bathed place. It looked ethereal, Bakura thought as he let his gaze roam over it. The dewy grass gave small squeaky sounds beneath his boots, and the while area was covered in knee-high, milky-white fog, as if a cloud had descended over it and had left some part of it in the branches of the trees. A few birds chirped, welcoming the sun that could be seen just slightly at the horizon, pale and glittering. Bakura inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment, as the scent of morning flooded his head and woke him fully. Isis led him further, to the very middle of the large backyard, where they were flanked by two sakura trees which stood tall and proud, their branches intertwining so one couldn't tell where the one began and the other one ended.  
  
"What is it now?"  
  
Isis hesitated, her eyes flickering to the horizon, to the grave that could be seen just barely, over the soft pink petals of the trees above them.  
  
"You can tell me, 'Nee-sama.", Bakura tried again, his voice growing softer. At the nickname, Isis eyes flooded with tears suddenly, and Bakura, who hadn't seen his older 'sister' cry very often, in fact like never, stood shocked.  
  
"Isis. . ."  
  
She flung herself at him, sobbing into his shoulder, while Bakura stood calm and serene, holding the weeping woman protectively in his arms. He wondered what could be so bad that she actually cried in front of him, no, into his shirt. . Isis never seemed to need much comfort; she was the one who gave comfort to others.  
  
"You have. . . to kill him.", she whispered finally, resting her chin on the younger one's shoulder, still holding onto him tightly. Bakura frowned.  
  
"I won't. I can't."  
  
"You have to!"  
  
The thief growled. His patience was wearing thin, and though this was the woman who had taken care of him when he needed it, he was becoming major pissed off by her.  
  
"Why? Why should I kill my best friend?"  
  
"He's not your friend anymore.", Isis hissed, breaking apart from the loving hug. Her aquamarine eyes darkened into a deep midnight blue, almost black colour as she stared up at Bakura disdainfully. "His soul is being controlled and crushed while we talk, more and more every passing second. Soon, he won't even remember you."  
  
"Controlled? By whom?"  
  
"By the God of the Desert, the Chaos, the Fear. . . "  
  
"Seth. . ."  
  
Isis nodded. "Anuket-sama made a bet with him. It's either your life or Mariku's. And you are the _only_ one who can kill him besides Anzu."  
  
Bakura snarled. He started pacing, watching the sun rise every now and then; it was a trap. A trap for their hearts and minds.  
  
"Remember, the Mariku you know now has poisoned Ryou."  
  
"He still loves the girl!"  
  
"He won't anymore!"  
  
They glared at each other, crimson meeting dark blue.  
  
From a short distance, dark-red eyes watched intensely. If Mariku died – would Yuugi die with him? Or would he be healed? Yami sighed. Bakura didn't seem to want to kill. . .but he himself would do it without a second thought. He didn't care about Seto's little friends who seemed to love this lunatic, no; he only cared about Yuugi.  
  
Making his way back into the mansion he currently stayed at, Yami frowned as he met a shy cerulean gaze at the front door.  
  
"You might don't want to go out there right now."  
  
"Oh, and why wouldn't I?"  
  
Yami stared at Anzu, almost glaring. She glowered right back. The male couldn't stand the girl's attitude anymore; it was about time that someone would crush her!  
  
"Because Isis-san tells the freak to kill your beloved boyfriend.", he taunted, a smirk showing on his handsome features. He loved the flash of hurt and anger in her eyes – yes, this was the right way. "And it seems she's got him already to do it. There won't be a living dead lunatic around here anymore soon."  
  
He heard Anzu gasp as he turned away, and a dull 'thump'. Yami froze as a soft whimper followed, and turned around slowly – he was met with the brown- haired girl on her hands and knees, one hand clutched to her abdomen, her face ghostly pale.  
  
'Uh-oh. . . ' "Erm. . ."  
  
Tears started cascading down her cheeks as Anzu stared up at Yami through suddenly sweat-damp bangs. "Hurts. . . it hurts.", she gasped, fingers twining helplessly in the material of her oversized shirt. Yami gulped; was that his fault? The next thing he knew was that his paralyzed gaze was responded with a fierce glare of crimson-brown eyes, and a growl reached his ears as Bakura picked the panting young woman up and twisted a hand into Yami's collar.  
  
"I swear, if you've got something to do with this. . .", the albino snarled, a not-so-empty threat, as Yami knew. ..Bakura hardly ever made empty threats. He was going to pay if something grave happened to Anzu, and he was going to pay dearly.  
  
Isis appeared behind Bakura, eyebrows furrowed, her tanned face paling visibly at the sight of the girl. She frowned at Yami, though still calm, and ushered Bakura downstairs to the lab.  
  
Yami started to worry. Kind of late, yes, but better late than never. . .What if Anzu lost her child because of him? What if she actually died? He had promised Yuugi not to kill again, never again. Was it even his fault? Sure, that damn thief would blame him, but didn't Bakura blame everything on Yami? The man sighed, and trotted further into the mansion, not watching where he went until he bumped into someone. Looking up from a very interesting spot on the carpet, he was met with gentle, worried green eyes.  
  
"Yami-san? Is there something the matter?"  
  
"N-no, not at all, Shizuka. . . it's quite alright.", Yami sighed, averting his eyes from Seto's fiancée.  
  
"Did Anzu-chan collapse again?", the girl asked softly. Yami nodded. But wait. . .again? That meant it wasn't his fault!  
  
"Yes, she does that often nowadays . . . every time there is stress for her.", Shizuka sighed, shaking her pretty head worriedly.  
  
. . . Well, maybe it was his fault alright.  
  
Yami looked at the young woman again, smiling at her hesitantly. She seemed tired, with slight dark rings beneath her large green eyes, her auburn hair pulled back into a loose ponytail.  
  
"Didn't you sleep well last night?", Yami asked, a hint of concern in his voice. Shizuka actually managed to smile brightly.  
  
"No, it's alright, but – I took care of Seto."  
  
Yami frowned. "Is something wrong with him?", he asked politely. After all, he didn't want to offend Jou's little sister. Shizuka nodded.  
  
"He's quite out of it; worry, I guess. You know, him and Anzu-chan being kind of related and stuff." She shrugged.  
  
If Yami had been surprised before, he was shocked now. He didn't know they belonged to the same family, and it kinda got to him; he was concerned about Kaiba. Yes, sure, they had been rivals ever since, but somehow, Yami had liked the stoic CEO. He shook his head, thanked Shizuka, and went upstairs again to watch Yuugi sleep.  
  
Downstairs, in the lab, Isis had Bakura lay the girl down on a bench, and covered her with a blanket while checking her pulse.  
  
"Her system works well.", she said, nodding satisfied.  
  
"So. . ?"  
  
"She will be alright again in a few hours, and nothing happened to the baby. Bakura. . . you need to protect her. Mariku won't stop until he has her dead."  
  
"How can I protect her and fight _him_ at the same time?", Bakura asked, pouting slightly. He refused to call this. . .this _creature_ like he had called his best friend.  
  
"Then make someone else protect her.", Isis shrugged, flipping her long black hair back over a shoulder. "But there aren't much options. . . she would kick Jou's and Honda's ass, would talk with Mai and distract her, and Seto's out of it. We need someone who is able to fight well."  
  
"'Zuka?"  
  
"Busy taking care of Seto. . ."  
  
Bakura pondered, frowning. "Then, there is only one person I can think of. . .and _both_ of them won't be very happy with that appointment."  
  
Upstairs, Yami sneezed.

thisisalinethisisalinethisisaline

Sorry for the long-time-no-update! I was stuck with heavy writer's block. . . RPG's stealing my skill to write x.x;  
  
Anyways! Review time!   
  
**Inverse-chan:** You were confused? Why? Tell me and I explain   
  
**Silver Arrow:** HI again! Glad you're back! –hugs- Yep, Bakura vs. Mariku will be quite the event!  
  
**Amethyst-Dragonflame:** -nodnod- You're right. There would be quite the drama though if we had lovers fighting XD  
  
**Magicianofblackchaos23**: Hi! –glomps- You think Seth was sexy? Yay! I imagine him as a tall, ghostly man though, and rather creepy. For he's the God of Chaos, and Fear, and so on you know! But, being sexy doesn't hurt either. . ..  
  
**GraveRobbers Aman:** Aman-chan! Rae-sama! –hugs- So glad you're back. You're one of the many people who wanted Bakura to fight Mariku, but you're reasons are pretty cool! Thankies!  
  
**BlackLightning:** You love? Thanks!   
  
**Shadadphilaro:** Hi there! Gah, I completely forgot about Malik-chan. . . good you remind me! What to do now with him –ponders- Wow, you're one of the few people (if not the only one o.O) who wanted Anzu fight him. That would've been my choice as well, you know! –ish such a Drama Queen- But, I have to stay with the majority! And I don't hate you, nuh-uh –hugs-   
  
**Pork Steak the Grande:** W-chan! –glomps/tackles- W-chan! –glomps/tackles- Yup, fluff goooood. . .Hey, another one who wanted Anzu I don't know though if Gandalf-sama counts o.O No offense. Ahem. See, I updated! –proud- Have a glorious day!  
  
**Fluffylittledragon:** Revenge is always good! On ice, with strawberry daiquiri X3 Yum!  
  
Nine reviews is quite satisfy-able for one chapter Thankies! –throws cookies- See ya next time!  
  
Malik: Oh great, now she gets all hyper –rolls eyes-  
  
Voice: Quiet, you. . go set the cards. –grins- He's grumpy because he has to play cards with my sis and me. Mwaha.  
  
Malik: . . . –glares-


	16. Ever Dream

Pained screams echoed through the thick, oily darkness, followed by cracking noises, and more screams, more cracks. A tall, slightly buff figure doubled over in pain again as the whip descended once more on their back, adding another bloody stripe to the uncountable ones on the once smooth tan skin. Already brought to his knees, the man shaking tried to stand up, get away from the merciless whipping, but was in vain as so often. Dull, pupil-less lavender eyes stared into the crushing night that surrounded them, making it hard to breathe for the hurting soul.

"You disobeyed me once again.", the hooded figure behind him hissed, venom dripping from his voice, as it brought the once pure white leather whip up again for the umpteenth's time, stained with dark, crimson blood.

The soul bit its lip. He wouldn't cry out again, never again, never ask for forgiveness again, never humiliate himself again. No. Not this time. Trembling knees prevented him from standing, causing him to fall onto the ground, where he curled into a tight ball. He tried to ignore the fiery pain that seared through him whenever the whip crashed down on him, tried to block his eyes and ears against the images and sounds.

"I-I. . . I obeyed you too long.", he managed to gasp out, staring up at the hooded figure. An angry snarl was heard from beneath the shadows.

"What was that?" A tanned hand shot out, burying itself in sandy-blonde, spiky hair, tugging hard on it. The soul was lifted from the ground halfway, wincing against the pain on his head.

"I said. . . I. . . I obeyed you too long. I won't anymore."

An especially hard tug and another snarl was the result to his speech, causing him to cry out at last. The hood swept back as the person dashed the soul into one of the invisible walls that were there just temporarily, before changing once again, in a sickening fast change of scenery. The soul couldn't see, its vision was blurry. It was amazing that it still was affected by mortal weaknesses, where other souls just turned and vanished in thin air. Oh no, that was not possible for him. But the soul's will was strong, even if the only things that kept him conscious, and fighting, were memories. He slowly lifted his eyes, blinking hard, and focused on the man standing superior before him. Cold silver orbs stared down at him.

"You will obey me. And if it is the last thing you do. . . which it probably is, anyways.", the unearthly being hissed, bending down to make his threat more evident.

"You can't do anything to me. I've got nothing to lose, Seth."

"Oh, you think so?", the god asked casually, smirking evilly. He lifted the soul up by its hair again, ignored the yelp, and the scenery around them changed. The soul found it even harder to breath.

Before them, a bedroom was. And, of course, with a bed in it. On the bed though was the one thing that made the soul gasp and shake his head wildly at the unspoken threat. A blonde, tan skinned boy laid there, sleeping peacefully, halfway covered up with a black silk blanket. The soul gave a pained cry as he recognized his own bed, his own room, and tearstains on the boy's face.

"Kill him."

Wide dusky lavender eyes turned to the god, terror mirrored clearly in their depths.

"No!"

"Kill the child. He is of now use at all." Seth smirked at the memory that came to his mind; the love Anuket felt for the boy. Another way to hurt her. "Do it!"

The soul was pushed forward, crying heavily. Soft, white mist swirled around his hand in dainty, slender wisps, finally forming a silvery, see-through dagger. It was plain, but it controlled the soul's hand immediately. Feet stepped forward, stopping in front of the bed, and a tan hand reached down to brush bangs out of the child's face softly. Seth hissed as large, sleepy violet eyes blinked open, and the child yawned.

Another pained gasp escaped the tormented soul's throat – it was painful to see the young boy, not older than five years old in a minute and seventeen in the other, both child and teenager combined, making his vision blurry. "I. . . I can't. . "

"Do it."

A sharp, cold, calm order, and the soul lifted the dagger slowly. The child, meanwhile, blinked once again and turned hazy, innocent orbs upwards.

"Mariku. . . ?"

The dagger came down quickly.

-------

Ryou sat up, gasping pained, a hand clutching at the oversized white T-shirt he usually wore in bed. "Oh gods. . . "

Next to him, someone stirred, and the teen looked down though he couldn't see, a small, pale hand searching. "Bakura?"

"Mn?"

"Are you awake?"

Crimson tinted, brown eyes blinked up at him, taking the small hand in his larger one's and squeezed it gently. "Now I am. What's the matter?"

The white haired boy began to sob softly. "It's. . . it's. . . oh god. . "Bakura pulled him down, into his arms, and hugged him tightly. Ryou cried into his lover's chest, soaking the smooth skin with salty tears.

"It's M-Mariku. . . "

Bakura growled. Now the spirit already haunted Ryou's sleep? That meant war. Bloody war.

"What did he do?"

Painful seconds passed, in which Ryou cried some more, clinging onto Bakura.

"He killed Malik."

-------

"I need your help."

Yami's eyes went wide as Bakura strode into the room he occupied with Yuugi, wearing his complete work attire. Meaning, he was dressed in the black leather suit Yami came to hate already, his white hair shining dangerously in the moonlight. And, what worried Yami even more than the fact that Bakura needed his help, was the determined glare, the stony expression.

"You need what?"

"Your help. Don't act more stupid than you are, Yami. I need you to take care of Anzu."

The tricolour haired man stood, shaking his head. "I won't come anywhere near that girl." In the blink of an eye he found himself backed up against the next wall, Bakura looming over him growling. "You will."

"Why would I do that?"

Bakura backed off, glancing towards the bed briefly, where Yuugi laid, pale and breathing hard.

"I'm going."

"Where?"

Dark brown met crimson.

"To kill him."

Yami followed Bakura downstairs, to the train room, where Bakura kept his weapons. He was confused by the sudden change of mind the other man obviously had. For he'd always seemed so protective over the spirit, even now.

"Why now?"

"He has gone too far. I won't risk anything else."

While Yami wondered what Mariku could've done to anger Bakura so much that the albino left to kill him in the dead of the night, Bakura grabbed most of his paranormal weapons, stuffing them into the belts which hang on his hips or around his torso, supported by one shoulder.

"Ryou had a vision tonight."

"How so?"

"How would I know? He passed out after he told me."

Yami rolled his eyes. "What was it about?"

"Mariku killing Malik."

A gasp sounded from the doorway. Both men looked up to be met with cerulean eyes full of worry.

"Why?!"

"Go to bed, Anzu.", Yami snapped. Bakura meanwhile strode over and gave her a hug, having slight difficulties with all the equipment.

"I need you to stay with Yami."

"No way!!"

Bakura sighed. "Please?"

The girl frowned, looking away. He couldn't deny Bakura his wish, for she knew he cared about her wellbeing, but. . . she supposed Yami'd most likely kill her, given the opportunity. A kiss was brushed onto her forehead, and Bakura was gone.

"Inform Isis for me, will you."

Anzu and Yami glared at each other.

-------

Woot! Sorry it took so long . Summer break for my mind. And it wasn't the best of chapters either. But next time, the fight, part one! Be prepared!!!

Review replies!!

**Fluffylittledragon: **That may be a nice idea XD Where have you been?

**Magicianofblackchaos23: **Seto will come back, don't worry Here you got another version of the god Seth. . . the more cruel one o.o;;

**Guardian Arrow:** Wow! I'm proud of you! What will be the next upgrade? Thank you though. I'm rid of my writer's block! Glee!

**Snow-shadow-wolf:** Wah, it's alright! Really! I'm not mad at you, you simply told me what you were thinking. I appreciate that! Hey, my buddy the Pork Steak said you were going to a school in France, is that true? Thank you though. I will update 'Damn! soon, and it will have a slight change in writing style. . . it seems like Kaiba doesn't think anything else than nonsense. ;

**GraveRobbers Aman: **Hey there you two! Here you got an even longer time no update XD My mind was on vacation as it seemed. I'm sorry I have to hurt someone. I'm trying to think of an ending where everyone can be happy. . . but that's most likely not going to happen sigh

**W-chan!!! (A.k.a Pork Steak the Grande XD): **Hey there you!! Actually I'm pretty sure I replied to your review sometime when we were IM-ing. . . but anyways! I will never stop RPing! Mwahahahahah! Cause, you know, I'm addicted. Reminds me. Tomorrow's the last day T.T

**Inverse-chan:** Sorry if it wasn't as funny as you thought it would be. . . but I will add more fun in that arrangement! Promise!

Huh. . . that was it already? Review people! Please! It will make my mind work faster! XD Have a nice day all of you!!


	17. Shining Collection

Hi there! Welcome to the probably final chapter of Paper Flowers 2. Yesh, it's done, finally! There most probably won't be a third part, nope, no more. I'd like you to start reading the Breath Easy Saga though, the one I started recently Anyways. . . enjoy!

Bakura climbed up the stairs quietly, taking in his surroundings. The blessing of the goddess would shield him from any fatal blows he would be receiving before the day was over, but for sure Mariku was being blessed by the god of the desert, and there was no hope at all for Bakura. He knew it, he would lose.

His only desire now was the boy lying on his bed, wrapped up in blankets and innocence; soft white hair sprawled out on black satin sheets, dark charcoal lashes resting in high cheekbones. Bakura sat down on the bed's edge, letting his fingertips brush over Ryou's cheek tentatively. He had to smile when the younger one leaned into the touch, purring softly, and tears came to his eyes as he realized his love wouldn't be able to live if he didn't succeed. . .He wanted to leave in silence, to have this image of Ryou burned into his mind during the battle he had to fight, to give him strength and courage, but it wouldn't be fair not to say good bye. So he leaned down, and brushed his lips against Ryou's softly, causing dull emerald eyes to flutter open.

"Bakura?", a sleepy voice asked, but Ryou didn't receive an answer, just were pulled into strong, warm, trembling arms. He frowned slightly; something wasn't right. "Are you alright?" A sob answered him this time – Bakura was crying.

Ryou's blind eyes widened, and he wrapped his arms around his love, trying to comfort him.

"I. . . I have to go. I came to say good bye.", Bakura whispered finally, nuzzling his nose to Ryou's cheek affectionately.

Ryou nodded just slightly, casting his eyes down. He didn't want Bakura to go, go and fight and maybe get killed. He would've given his sight and health for Bakura's life; even Ryou knew he was bound to lose. They shared kisses for the next few minutes, desperate, loving kisses, full of salty tears and whimpers and quiet sobs, both unable to enjoy them completely until they sank into one, long, deep one, expressing undying affection and fondness for each other.

"I love you."

"I love you too. . . don't leave me."

"Ryou. . . "

The younger one gripped Bakura's shoulders tightly, dulled eyes staring up into his face pleadingly. "I won't let you go the after world alone."

Bakura suppressed a gasp, and nodded, hugging Ryou one last time before getting up, glancing a last time longingly at the boy sitting on the bed so lonely, and left the room finally. He felt torn; a part of him felt guilty, another glad. . . Ryou would kill himself only to be with him.

Anzu stared at the screen blankly, her eyes following the little red spot that was Bakura on the monitor. Yami was opposite to her, leaning on the wall with his eyes closed and his arms crossed; apparently thinking. All their hope was in the white-haired thief now, the hope that Yuugi and Ryou would get better, that he would destroy the evil virus breeding in Mariku's body – that he would lift the curse placed upon them all.

The spot was outside by now, heavily armed of course, descriptions of the weapons Bakura was carrying all around the spot. Shizuka was sitting in front of the screen, a headset over her ears, in case Bakura wanted to know what weapons Mariku would have with him, or how long his munitions would last. She glanced at the two resting in an uncomfortable silence, and cleared her throat softly to not wake up Seto, who was sleeping with his head on Anzu's lap; he had insisted on helping, but had been much too exhausted to stay awake. One of Anzu's delicate hands was in the chocolate strands, soothing the CEO's nightmares while Shizuka couldn't. Yami had snorted at this first, but after being sent a glare that could freeze a raging fire, he had shut up, and was thinking about Yuugi now.

"He'll do it, you know.", Shizuka's quiet voice rang through the room. "It'll be a short battle, Mariku doesn't have any back-up."

"And that's a good thing?", Anzu asked gravely, lifting her eyes and looked at her friend with emotionless eyes. The younger girl could feel her best friend's pain though, and she winced, casting her eyes down.

"I'm sorry Anzu-chan. . . "

"There's nothing to be sorry about.", Yami said sternly. "He's almost killed us all, made us suffer, and he deserves to die."

Shizuka winced again and ducked slightly at the burning rage that filled Anzu's clear-blue eyes, making them darken visibly.

"If you don't shut up already I will kill you.", she snarled at the tri-colour haired man, one hand resting protectively on her abdomen, the other one still in Seto's hair. Yami gulped; he wouldn't mess with pregnant women, oh no. That was like death sentence. He lifted his hand in defence and excuse, looking away. Anzu growled again before her eyes filled with tears. She almost could feel Mariku's presence, inside her and outside the mansion; he was there already, no doubt about that.

"'Zuka-chan. . . search for him.", she said so suddenly that Shizuka bumped her head on the back of the chair where it had rested, whining briefly before typing away. And she had been right; a small violet dot was there; apparently near the grave.

"Check the weather."

Shizuka did that as well, and frowned. "It's foggy, and it's raining slightly. They won't be able to see much."

"Unless they don't have to see. . . ", Anzu mumbled, and Yami beat her to it as he asked.

"Check if there are any others. Please.", he added, trying to at least be polite in such a situation. Shizuka typed, slender fingers flying over the keyboard, small clicking sounds filling the room. As soon as she started, she had stopped, and what they could see on the screen made them gasp in unison.

Behind the violet spot, there was a lighter one, which was pulsating softly. And all around the backyard space, there were light green spots moving slowly, predatory. . . trapping Bakura between them.

"That's so not good. . . ", Shizuka whined.

"What are those?"

"The light lavender one is Malik.", Anzu frowned. "We use this colour for him to detect him when he's on some mission. . . the darker violet one's Mariku, and the green ones-"

"-bestia.", the other girl gasped. "And there are some more still! Bakura!", she now yelled through the headset, after adjusting the small microphone over her mouth. The red spot whipped around.

"What is it?", Bakura's low voice came over the speaker boxes eerily, making Yami wince.

"You're surrounded.", Shizuka explained. "Be careful, Mariku uses magic, apparently. He's at the grave, and he has Malik with him!"

Colourful Egyptian curses were heard as Bakura growled, quietly still. "Ra damn it. . . keep telling me where they are."

Shizuka nodded. "The nearest one is thirty degrees to the left from what you are facing now."

Bakura growled, whipping out his favourite weapon, a flat energy blaster, and turned into the direction Shizuka had told him, shooting once. A yelp was heard, and a soft _fwump_ as something hit the ground, and Bakura gulped. From the sound, it had been _huge_. He could hear growling, but the fog was so thick that he couldn't see anything.

"Don't just shoot and waste munitions", Shizuka warned, and Bakura was slightly relieved as he heard her voice, making him feel as if he wasn't completely alone. "Fifty-five degrees to the right, eleven feet away from you."

Bakura's body whipped around again, hugged tightly in black leather, an evenly black trench coat billowing behind him as he shot again, having to hold the blaster with both hands so he wouldn't crash backwards. "How many more?"

"I don't know, every time you get one, there's ano- watch out!"

Bakura threw himself back, lying on his back on the damp, chilly ground, hitting it the moment a large, dark body pounced at him. He shot twice, wincing at he could roll aside the moment before it fell with a snarl, speckling his side with dark blood. He jumped up again, and stared in utter shock at the body he made fall a moment ago. .

Thick black fur covered it, while it was shaped like a huge lion, with a human face, large sharp claws and teeth.

"Are you alright with if I turn the camera on?", Shizuka asked, concerned when he didn't answer her.

"Yes, sure."

"What camera?", Yami asked, frowning, and approached the desk, sitting down next to Shizuka. She smiled at him, clicking a few buttons.

"We embedded a camera in Bakura's right eye a while ago. It's useful. Watch."

The screen flickered, and Shizuka yelped, because Bakura's gaze still was on the beast.

"A chimaera!"

"He has power over chimaeras?!", Yami gasped, staring wide-eyed. Anzu frowned.

"No, he hasn't. . . but the gods do."

"Bakura, there are two other one's on either side of you!", Shizuka said, her voice loud and clear; there was no use making the man more irritated than he already was with shrieking and yelping. While one side of the screen was occupied with the camera, the other one still showed the spots.

Bakura, in the backyard, pulled out another blaster and fired into both directions at the same time, emitting more _fwumps_ and growls from the foggy, eerie darkness. He shuddered.

"Shizuka, please tell me there are only a few other ones."

"Sorry, 'Kura, there are still over twenty at least. . . but they stopped moving. It seems they make a corridor. Watch out, but approach the grave. And be careful, you can not harm Malik."

Bakura nodded once, walking forward cautiously, blasters still in his hands.

Mariku smirked as he saw Bakura firing and whispering frantically, firing some more, and he lifted a hand, bidding the chimaeras to stop, letting the albino get through to him. Behind him, Malik shivered harshly. In his delicate hands, he held the dagger tightly. Mariku looked at him once, and his smirk softened to a smile, reaching out to pet his little brother's hair briefly to soothe him, but a sharp pain in his neck made him flinch. A tattooed collar around his neck prevented him from resisting Seth. Closing his eyes briefly, he frowned a she remembered how he'd come to the new tattoos.

"_Kill him."_

_Mariku raised the dagger high over the sleeping form of the smaller boy, when those large lavender eyes opened, breaking Mariku's heart as they stared at him in fear and shock. _

"_Kill him!", the voice rang through his head sharply, tugging at the corners of his mind, bringing him endless head ache. . . and he brought the dagger down, embedding it deeply in soft, pliant material._

_A choked sob escaped Malik, his heart beating so much faster as adrenalin pumped through him; the shining blade in his pillow, next to his face. All that was harmed was a small lock of hair, cut off._

_Mariku screamed, being dragged back by an unearthly force, and all Malik could do was watch in horror, softly whimpering as his older brother's head was being tilted back by nothing at all, and a spell wrote itself around the strong, tanned neck slowly and agonizingly in a tight band of words, not letting a space. Mariku wouldn't deny Seth's orders again._

But the desert god hadn't forced him to try and kill Malik again. He would have his blood sacrifice soon, and it would be Bakura's blood seeping into the ground, feeding the earth.

Bakura came nearer and nearer, and was right in front of Mariku now, while the blonde still stared into space, and snapped out of it with a blaster on his forehead. Bakura's eyes were set, determined, cold even. . . there was no more adoration, no more respect or love for Mariku in them, an icy blend of crimson and black.

In Mariku's mind, Seth spoke. _You have to kill him now. Set the chimaeras on him. You don't have to do it yourself._ Mariku frowned slightly, still staring into Bakura's eyes. He tried, he really tried, but they wouldn't budge. _I can't._

_You are cheating, Seth. I won't allow that._, a feminine voice said in both their minds, and it seemed as if Anuket was frowning and glaring angrily.

_Fine. Go ahead, let them battle with all they have._ A sudden surge of dark light engulfed Mariku, making him gasp sharply as Seth's magic flowed through him. _You won't be able to kill him with stupid mortal weapons now._, he added smugly, and in Mariku's hand, a katana formed.

_Bakura, do you think you can use magic if I give you some?_, Anuket asked worriedly. She wasn't so sure about the heart's strength of the albino.

Bakura considered. He didn't know either, he wasn't one for magic, he liked weapons better. . . but the image of his Ryou flooded his mind, sending angry tears to his eyes; his love wouldn't live if he didn't try.

He felt the goddess' relief flood through him as well, comforting him, making him feel warm – and he nodded. _I do think so._

Bakura dropped the weapon by simply opening his fingers, never losing eye contact with Mariku. He backed away, another katana forming in his hand, and he stared in wonder at it; it had been a long long time since people fought with it, and he had no skills what-so-ever, but then again, so had Mariku.

Their fight began slow, testing, and quickly became faster, so much faster. The magic that flowed between the warriors let the chimaeras back away in fright, and it was illuminating them so brightly that Shizuka, Yami and Anzu had to close their eyes in the computer room even.

"What are they doing?", Shizuka whispered carefully, to be answered by a strong, yet gentle voice.

"They are fighting the eternal battle between the gods, between good and evil.", Isis explained calmly, walking up to them. "They are blessed by their respective deity." 

Anzu frowned, looking back at the screen. "Who will win?"

"This is up to them; whoever loses the will to live, will have to surrender." Isis stopped for a moment, closing her eyes. "It seems Bakura has accepted death even before he started battling."

"But. . . that would mean-"

"That Seth wins the bet, and we will be plunged into darkness forevermore."

Bakura backed away even more, hissing as a passing chimaera growled at him. Mariku fought with unearthly stamina, never getting tired of anything, every blow as hard and fast as the previous one, while Bakura's arms slowly got tired. It looked as if he was losing alright. From behind the grave, Malik sobbed, only to be wrapped into soft golden light.

_Do not cry little one. . . _

"Anuket. . . "

_If you want to help, use the dagger Mariku gave you; he did that with a purpose. You know what to do._ An invisible kiss was being pressed onto his cheek, near the corner of his mouth, and he walked forward slowly, towards the fighting couple. The sound of metal clashing with metal was sickening, and even if he hadn't heard war before, he had known how it sounded. This was desperation, fear, and hope all in once, in a most sickening blend.

"Blood you seek. . . blood you will get.", Malik whispered as he approached further, the chimaeras shifting and growling all around him, but not being allowed to move yet.

He grazed the blade over the back of Mariku's neck, letting the blood trickle freely from the gash. He could hear Seth laughing in his mind.

_As if that would stop him, pathetic child!_

Anuket just smirked smugly, right as Mariku stopped moving. And Seth's shock and realization flooded through them –

The spell had been lifted. It was only a brief second, but it was an eternity to Malik, who still was behind Mariku as Bakura's blade plunged through the muscular, tanned body, the tip of the katana pointing at Malik bloodied.

Mariku gave a choking gasp as he fell to his knees, his eyes clearing until he stared up confusedly at Bakura, who stared as confused down.

"I. . . Bakura?"

"Mariku. . . "

Bakura dropped to his knees, catching the other man as he fell forward, blood spilling from his lips. Tears flowed down his cheeks freely. He had won.

But what had been the price?

One second of clearing Mariku's thoughts, breaking the curse that was upon him, the second before death hit him.

Malik sobbed quietly, as a soft light entered the space, making the chimaeras hiss as they transformed into the stone they were made of, and making the fog back away as well. Anuket kneeled down in front of them, so much larger than they were, glowing with a soft golden light as she cried as well.

_Fine, you won._, Seth huffed, and vanished into thin air to plot somewhere else.

_Know this was hard for you. . . but you did well, my child._

Bakura nodded tearfully, clutching Mariku's body to him.

_You have to give him to me._ Anuket said, reaching out one hand and scooped up Mariku's bleeding body in it, looking down at him before gently covering her palm with her other hand.

_My mission here is done; you still will be blessed by me. All of you will. Don't forget me, as I won't forget you._

She vanished, leaving Malik sobbing into Bakura's arms as the albino led him back to the mansion.

Anzu cried openly as well, both her hands over her abdomen. The pain she was feeling slowly transformed into welcoming warmth, spreading from her belly, and she smiled weakly as the goddess blessed her child. This was going to be her only comfort.

Needless to say, that Yuugi recovered quickly and was happily cuddling into Yami's arms, and Ryou was able to see again. He noticed it the minute Mariku was dead, and he frowned sadly, rubbing his long-unused eyes, but nonetheless hopped out of the bed as soon as Bakura came in.

There were no words needed between them as they fell into each other's arms, holding on tightly, and Bakura cried into Ryou's shoulder all night, while Ryou comforted him, so happy to see again.

Isis had been all over Malik since the boy was back, and the poor blonde had to gently dodge her cuddle-attacks, as well as Anzu's and Shizuka's.

Seto came out of his depression and was his stony, cold self again, though. . . he was loosened up a bit, and more friendly all the way.

It seemed as if everything was alright again.

But the greatest surprise came the next morning, when the doorbell rang, and a sleepy Anzu traipsed to open it; a second after, a scream echoed through the house, and when everyone came running downstairs, there were strong tanned arms around her waist, a blonde head buried into her shoulder, whispering to her frantically as she clung to him crying.

Mariku was back, as friendly and psychotic as ever, after Anuket had begged Isis, the Great Mother, to revive him once more and even wanted to give her immortality for it; of course, being the gentle goddess the high deity was, she had left Anuket immortal, and brought Mariku back as well.

"After all, I have to be a father for my child.", Mariku reasoned when Bakura rolled his eyes at his appearance with his arms tightly around Ryou, who was smiling happily.

So, there they had their happy ending. . .

But still, there were things to be done. Seto's and Shizuka's marriage, of course, which was approaching quickly, and the birth of Anzu's and Mariku's child, which they still bickered about being a boy or a girl. . . strangely, Mariku wanted a girl, and Anzu a boy, not vice-versa.

My, what a crappy ending o.o But at least, we got one finally There will be an epilogue, of course, all of us want to see the wedding and the birth, right? Goooood.

But for now, review replies!

**Shadadphilaro:** Nope, as you see, Malik isn't dead I couldn't let him die. Nope.

**GraveRobbers Aman:** Hey hey Ne, Rae, you see, Mariku wasn't exactly a soul, Seth made a new body for him so he would be able to do the dirty work! And it's right, Seth is an evil bastard -.- but every story needs one! I hope you liked them. . . uh. . 'going at it': Ahem.

**Magicianofblackchaos23: **Oh, I do? Cool! Thanks!

**BlackLightning:** Wow, I loved your review Makes me feel so. . . skilled XD which I'm not. Meh. Anyways, I do write fluffy stuff too! Go look at 'How to love him', my newest one-shot it's so fluffy I had to gag –smiles- Thanks though!

**Fluffylittledragon:** See, he's not dead Strange how many people worried about Malik though! He's one of my favourite's too though. Erm. . . sorry, I have no idea how to put 'water'. . . really soft maybe?

**Guardian Arrow: **Wow, that are really cool upgrades! 3

**Snowshadowwolf: **Nah, you didn't tell God wrong, I didn't understand her ; I was confused that moment I guess. But I updated before I could make it right, I'm sorry! Canada's pretty cool though, much cooler than Germany alright –sighs- Thank you by the way, and yep, as soon as I can think of something for Damn! I will update.

**Pork Steak the Grand(e): **-smiles- Well, well, what can I say. . . nothing –cries- because I already told you everything! How did you find my ending? Crappy, wasn't it? I ran out of ideas ; Aaaanyways. . . see you tomorrow! Love you too!


	18. Epilogue

„Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod. . . „

„Bakura, calm down already!"

„. . . ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod. . . „

"BAKURA!"

"WHAT?"

"Please, sir, stop yelling. . "

"ARGH!"

"I've had it with you! CALM DOWN!!"

And with that, Ryou tackled his pacing boyfriend, slamming him into a wall. "Shut up already! It's not like someone's dying!"

Bakura sniffed, turning his head away, like a spoiled child. No one who'd see him would believe that he killed, slaughtered, stole, and had been a tool of the gods before.

"You act like you're going to be a dad, you know.", Ryou rolled his eyes, releasing the older male's collar. "And that's not the truth, at least I hope that for you."

"Nani? Ryou!"

A soft giggle. "I'm sorry 'Kura. See, there's nothing to worry about. . ."

The next moment, Isis came rushing, nearly knocking them over. "Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. . . "

"ARGH!"

"Ryou, sweetheart, calm down. . . "

"Seriously, what's the rush? It's only-"

The smaller albino was cut off by a soft wail from inside the room, and a louder 'thump' noise. They listened, anticipated, staring at each other with their mouth's hanging open.

"OHMYGOD!"

Fifteen minutes and another wail later, the door opened, knocking all Ryou, Bakura, and Isis over, the boys falling onto their rears, the woman tumbling elegantly before she had balance back. Mariku stood there, much more pale than one could imagine even with his tan, panting.

"Good Ra. . I'm. . and she. . and. . and. . ", he stammered, catching his older sister subconsciously as she flung herself at him. "They're here. . . "

Isis disappeared into the room quickly, as did Mariku again, leaving Bakura and Ryou on the floor to stare at each other. "They?"

"You mean, there. . is more than one?!"

"Let's go see!", Ryou chirped, jumping up, and rushed into the maternity room, greeted with a quite precious sight.

Mariku was actually crying, silent tears streaming down his cheeks as he stared down at the exhausted brunette, who smiled at him tiredly but happy, holding a small bundle. . . in each arm. Anzu was propped up against a sweaty pillow, chocolate strands plastered to her forehead and temples. And the tall, blonde, usually sarcastic man took one of the bundles from her, gently with his large hands, and held it to his chest. Looking down in wonder as his daughter opened bright blue eyes, and watched him in return. "Oh Hathor. . ." He breathed, caressing the soft, chubby, already slightly tan cheek with a thumb.

Isis, usually stoic, was smiling brightly, tears glittering in her eyes as she stroked Anzu's face, running a wet cloth over it to clean it off the sweat, brushing her strands back, and cleaned the small head of her nephew carefully; that was when Bakura gasped, and Ryou let out a held breath in relief.

"I'm. . . mmh. . . glad you came.", Anzu said softly, yawning in between, and Bakura took a seat at her bed, next to Isis, while Ryou went and looked around Mariku to get a look at the baby in his arms.

"Well, you were long enough in here. . . long enough for little Ryou to drink five cups of coffee.", the taller albino answered quietly, causing Anzu to chuckle. "Really now? Ryou doesn't even like coffee!" She smiled, and shook her head, only to put the second baby, a little boy, into Bakura's arms, who took him clumsily, staring down with exactly the same expression Mariku looked down at his daughter. A second later, she was fast asleep, causing Isis to chuckle a bit, and adjust the small boy in Bakura's arms so he wouldn't start crying; the small, still slightly wrinkled face scrunched up cutely already. Ryou scurried over to Bakura, bouncing happily, and flung his arms around his neck from behind, resting his chin on his boyfriend's shoulder as they looked down at the baby. . .

Click! Click!

"Huh?", came from Mariku, Bakura, Ryou and Isis, and even the children had a 'what the-?' expression. Malik smiled brightly, holding a camera, and took another picture from the group looking so – clueless.

"Hi guys!", he chirped, strolling over to the bed, giving Isis and Ryou a kiss on the cheek, and his older brother a hug. "So cute poses, I couldn't resist!" Isis smiled, and took the baby boy from Bakura as the little one began crying from a late shock, rocking him gently. "I think the little one's hungry.", she said softly, gently waking up Anzu, and glared at the boys slightly. Bakura, Ryou, and even Malik flinched, leaving the room hurriedly – they didn't want to see Anzu nursing anyway. Innocent eyes! Uh, semi-innocent anyways. . .

"Do you know what she'll call them?", Ryou asked Malik, who shrugged.

"No, I don't have a clue, Mariku said they had names already though. Hey, you know what comes up next?"

The albinos stared at him blankly.

"Seto and Shizuka-chan's wedding!! Duh!"

"OHMYGOD!"

"BAKURA!!!"

(Ryou)

So, this basically is where it ends. . . or is it? Let me tell you what happened after the twins' birth.

Shizuka wanted a traditional wedding, with dress, flowers, ring, honeymoon and stuff. And she got it! Seto arranged the large pavilion in the backyard, Malik and me the flowers, Mai and Isis the outfits, Mariku and Anzu the food. Isis, Mai and Anzu were bridesmaids, clad in pastel violet silk dresses; and I had to remember how Shizuka had asked me if I wanted to be one too. Evil! I'm not a girl! Then she had laughed, and ruffled my hair so it looked like 'Kura's afterwards. I don't like that either!

They had made Rebecca go as the flower's kid, throwing soft rose petals onto the carpet, in front of Shizuka, when she approached the altar. Even I was nervous, standing next to Malik and Mariku on Seto's side, just for good measure. I looked into the audience out of the corner of my eyes, watching their expressions, and finally found Bakura, sitting there with little Seth on his lap, absentmindedly petting the toddler's tummy. Seth leaned against his godfather happily, dazedly enjoying the attention he got, the large dark blue eyes halfway closed under the mass of sand blonde hair. Strange how the twins got the hair and tan of their father, and even their eye color meshed with a bit of violet in Anzu's azure. Next to Bakura, Yuugi sat, which had Yami on the other side, who had his arms crossed over his chest, but smiled the least bit, and had one hand joined with Yuugi, who in turn had the other toddler on his lap; Anuket, Mariku's baby girl. I mean, he still is head over heels for her, and she has him wrapped – and she knows it. She was the bolder one of the twins; Seth instead was glad being held and protected, while Anuket looked for adventures even at her tender age. And just like the godly pair they were named after, they bickered all the time.

Everything went quiet when Shizuka entered the pavilion, in a long, flowing white dress made of silk and lace, her hair put on, with some strands looking out of the pearl-decorated hair-do, falling over bare, frail shoulders delicately. I could hear Seto's breath hitch, and I could absolutely understand; the girl looked beautiful alright. She walked up to him gracefully, over the rose petals, and looked at him smiling as he held her hand out for her. I barely noticed the ceremony already started, as I watched Bakura rub little Seth's stomach, and smiled the slightest bit as I saw Katsuya cry, being comforted by Honda, who patted his back awkwardly. Then. . .

"I do."

And, yes, I had missed the whole ceremony, until Shizuka's agreement, and I watched them slip their rings on each other's fingers, and kissed, and everyone stood up and started clapping. . . well, anyone besides Bakura and Yuugi, who had to carry the twins.

Later, when everyone congratulated them, I walked up to Bakura who stood outside the pavilion, rocking Seth to sleep; the little one hadn't been well all day. I smiled at him, and felt my heart flutter as he smiled back.

"Hey. . . you look good in that.", he said quietly, pointing at my tuxedo, and I laughed quietly, to not wake Seth. I noticed though that he was a bit tense, and fidgeting. .

"Why are you out here?"

"There's. . . something I want to tell you. I love you Ryou."

"I love you too, but-"

"You know, Anzu and Mariku are getting married soon too, and. . well, I-"

And at that moment, when he reached into his pocket to pull out a small box, Seth blinked, yawned, and threw up all over Bakura's shoulder. . . then blinked again, and simply went back to sleep. I stared, Bakura stared, and I started giggling hysterically, while Bakura groaned and patted his shoulder with the cloth he had with him for Seth. "Now that ruined the moment. . ", he cursed, and I looked up into the sunset-painted sky, smiling at the few stars out here already, enjoying the warm summer air. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

Bakura shifted Seth's small weight into one arm, holding out the small box with the other.

"I wished I could drop onto my knees now. . . and I wished I would wear something less stained.", he sighed as he watched my face – my eyes going wider each second, and I stared at the ring inside the box. "Nonetheless though. . . will you marry me?"

And by now, I knew I was crying, smiling, sobbing all at once as I pressed the box to my chest, hugging Bakura with one arm, and pulled him down to kiss him.

"Yes, I will. Even if you got the rests of Seth's dinner all over you.", I chuckled, smiling as he wiped my tears away.

"Yeah, sorry about that. . . "

"I think it's cute."

"Me too!", another voice chirped, and we turned to see Anzu smiling at us, reaching out to take her son from Bakura. "Congratulations." She winked, and went back inside, and Bakura stripped off of his jacket, dropping it to the ground to take me into his arms.

"Gods, I love you. . "

"I love you too tenshi. I love you too."

And finally, after he slipped the ring onto my finger and my eyes got teary again, he was able to kiss me; a _real_ kiss this time.

The End

Goodness, it's over. . . I will miss writing this fic. At this point, I'd like to thank all of you, all who read this, and all who reviewed, and continued reading even when I thought I screwed up big time. . . this epilogue is dedicated to all of you!

**Sugar-Kat**(Love you!)**, Pork Steak the Grand(e), Guardian Arrow, shadadphilaro, loathed wolf spirit, Fluffylittledragon, Black-Lightning, GraveRobbers Aman, magicianofblackchaos23, Inverse-chan, Amethyst-Dragonflame, December jewel, Pocketfirefairy, Bakurasgurl1989, Lee Elven Protector, trefenwyd12, Anime Crazed, Rowan Girl, HiTechDragon, kaz!**

So you see, not that many reviewers for this one, but very very loyal ones! I love you all! Check out my new series **Breathe Easy**, of course, again with lotses of fun, romance, and maybe even a bit drama! Have a nice day!

V-chan


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